In the coming weeks, our country will have a new President. I have not been a big fan of Barack Obama, otherwise known as The One by his followers, and his selection of many Clintonites including Hillary to join his Cabinet does not change my opinion of him as someone who really believes that American society is not fair and that the federal government needs to ensure the nation’s wealth is more equitably shared.
So what can we expect in Obama’s first 100 days as our 44th President? Besides overturning of many of President Bush’s executive orders regarding the environment, scientific research, and reproductive rights, I wonder what he will do with the United States attorneys throughout the country including Patrick Fitzgerald who led the charge against Obama’s friend in the Illinois Governor’s office. Will Obama fire them all as was done by Bill Clinton or selectively terminate them as was done by George W. Bush?
Much has been written about Obama’s planned trillion dollar stimulus plan which he wants to sign on day one of his administration. I am sure it will be a major jobs program for his union buddies by focusing on building roads and government buildings. He may also give tax rebate checks to more Americans who do not pay federal income taxes.
Obama’s 100 day stimulus plan will also include his first effort to please Al Gore and other environmental wackos by subsidizing Detroit to build electric cars which the American public will not buy and are not profitable unless Obama gets gas back to his beloved $4.50 per gallon. If his plan includes federal or private research efforts for developing innovative wind, solar, and hydro solutions, I will support him as I value such alternative energy projects as yielding benefits similar to those reaped from the space program of the 1960’s.
But what about Obama’s less publicized promises? He is a big believer in the “card check” elections for rebuilding the unions without the need for traditional ballot elections. Obama also campaigned on closing Gitmo without telling us where he would send the prisoners. I fear if he brings them to the United States because his new Attorney General will be more concerned about their civil rights than focusing attention on utilizing the Patriot Act to keep us safe.
In an additional gift for environmentalists, Obama will push in his first 100 days to allow his EPA head to liberalize the definition of carbon pollutants under the Clean Air Act in order to eventually force a carbon tax or “cap and trade” scheme on American businesses of all sizes.
With Obama campaigning to show a softer side of the United States to the world, how will he handle Russian efforts in his first 100 days to reintroduce itself to Cuba while it expands its Latin American influence by teaming with Chavez and Morales? Will Obama also cave to Russian demands that we eliminate our missile defenses? And how will he bring peace to the Middle East while still proving he is a strong friend of Israel?
For the sake of our country, I hope that President Obama sheds his liberal leanings in his first 100 days and maintains our leadership in the world through continued military strength, capitalistic principles, and a belief in freedoms.
