Community | January 24, 2009 | 10 comments

Obama breaks from Bush, avoids divisive stands

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090125/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_first_week

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gaiusfurius
WASHINGTON – Barack Obama opened his presidency by breaking sharply from George W. Bush's unpopular administration, but he mostly avoided divisive partisan and ideological stands. He focused instead on fixing the economy, repairing a battered world image and cleaning up government.

"What an opportunity we have to change this country," the Democrat told his senior staff after his inauguration. "The American people are really counting on us now. Let's make sure we take advantage of it."

In the highly scripted first days of his administration, Obama overturned a slew of Bush policies with great fanfare. He largely avoided cultural issues; the exception was reversing one abortion-related policy, a predictable move done in a very low-profile way.

The flurry of activity was intended to show that Obama was making good on his promise to bring change. Yet domestic and international challenges continue to pile up, and it's doubtful that life will be dramatically different for much of the ailing country anytime soon.

Obama's biggest agenda items — stabilizing the economy and ending the Iraq war — are complex tasks with results not expected soon. Even as Obama made broad pronouncements and signed a stream of executive orders to usher in a new governing era, his actions leave unanswered or unresolved questions, including how he will close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp for suspected terrorists.

In other cases, Obama set out new policy, only to signal it could be applied selectively.

He decreed that interrogators must follow techniques outlined in the Army Field Manual when questioning terrorism suspects, even as he ordered a review that could allow CIA interrogators to use other methods for high-value targets. Also, while a new White House rule limits staffers' previous lobbying activities, exceptions were made for at least two senior administration officials.
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10 comments // Obama breaks from Bush, avoids divisive stands

  • samthesixth
  • pissedoffinarkansas
  • widget48
    • 0
      widget48  

    • Obama is doing what he said he would, and if ine recalls correctly, he has stated repeatedly and very succinctly that the two largest problems facing america are the economy and the war in iraq. He hasn't changed his stance. His goals haven't waivered. He is taking advantage of his moment to intitiate smaall changes while building confidence among the nation that the two larger issues are being addressed as well. I am all for giving him a chance as well as my confidence that he will do the right thing even if it pisses some people off. After all, doing the right thing always pisses someone off!

    • 3 years ago
  • Iulian
    • 0
      Iulian  

    • From the site : Obama's biggest agenda items — stabilizing the economy and ending the Iraq war — are complex tasks with results not expected soon.
      That's something!

    • 3 years ago
  • ejasun
  • JohnA
  • gaiusfurius
    • 0
      gaiusfurius  

    • He doesn't ever compromise, he is very controlling. Maybe you misinterpret what the article is saying. It is saying he is avoiding all the hard issues, because he has no stance, wont take one, or cant. But , wrong or right, a President has to, where as a Senator can just vote present and go home and write a book.

    • 3 years ago
  • pjacobs51
  • gaiusfurius
    • 0
      gaiusfurius  

    • " Uh I IS voting present, and that depends on what IS,IS."
      Presidents need to make a stand, not avoid them, some of us saw this coming.

    • 3 years ago
  • keithponder
    • 0
      keithponder  
    • gaiusfurius:

      Uh l is voting present........

      Sounds like bigotry is rearing it's ugly head again.

      The president of the United States of America's name is Barack Hussien Obama.

      Read em' and weep, son.

    • 3 years ago
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