Interesting First Week

So what did our new President accomplish in his first week? Most of what a President can do in that short a time is symbolic, but Obama sought to create the impression of motion. Some thoughts.

First, he reversed the Mexico City Policy, that requires charities receiving federal funds to refrain from promoting abortion. While this was typical, it also served to remind the public that Obama is a typical doctrinaire pro-abortion Democrat. I don't think the policy really makes much difference one way or the other, because it is too difficult to enforce.

More substantively, he gave the expected Presidential order to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This just raised questions about where the prisoners will go and why won't their home countries take them back. As discussed previously, I think this will negatively impact him as Americans realize none of the mostly Muslim nations of origin for these killers are willing to take them back just to help Obama. I also think this used up news cycles and allowed conservatives an easy line of attack, without having to directly attack the President. Tonight, I saw that Hannity will be profiling each terrorist in Gitmo, one at a time. Nice water torture for his viewers, but also a reminder of Obama's lack of planning. A silver lining is that there are reports that they ship these murderers to the Colorado SuperMax. That's a real prison, with 23 hours of solitary a day that grinds the life out of its inmates. (H/T WeaselZippers) If we ever catch Bin Laden, I hope he ends up there, as a constant reminder to our enemies that he is under our control.

On the stimulus package, when Republicans raised objections that Obama's plans to send checks directly to all Americans would be redistributive and be giving money even to those who don't pay taxes, he replied, "We won." Great, but don't expect any cooperation. Also, trying getting Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to first agree with you, then agree with each other, then get their troops in line if you can't get a single Republican vote. Further, when stuff goes wrong, as it inevitably will, that comment will come back to haunt the President. More substantively, isn't this just socialism flat out? I mean, were just going to tax those who work and give money to those who don't. How else could you characterize such a scheme? Maybe a charge of socialism isn't toxic in politics any more, but the gross unfairness of such a scheme is surely grist for conservatives mill.

I already commented on his little press room incident. Although it seems small it is important. To quote David Warren:

The liberal mind—now fully restored to power in the United States—is in love with symbolic gestures.

When those gestures go south, they can be harbingers of things to come. One can only hope... for change.

And remember: Dissent is Patriotic.

For those who missed it, here is the video of the muffed oath. The spin is that this is all on the Chief Justice, but notice how Obama is not exactly a team player, my opinion. (I'd like to hear yours.)