Week 1 Of a Shiny New World

Symbolism and substance matter. I won't make this a regular post but let me just take note of the important things Obama has done.

Wednesday, 01/21

• Freezes pay for senior staffers making more than $100K.
• Disallowing lobbyists from joining his admin from working on issues they lobbied for
• Any person leaving his admin will not be allowed to lobby his admin. Ever!
• Promises that the gov't when asked for information will have a default position of providing it, not hiding it.
  

Thursday, 01/22

• Signs executive order telling CIA to close all black site prisons.
• Order also instructs that Guantanamo Bay prison to be closed within a year.
• Order instructs CIA to obey Geneva Conventions on torture.
  

Friday, 01/23

• The FDA approves the first human trials of stem cell treatments for spinal cord injuries. Yes, I know this isn't specifically Obama and as I write this on Friday I am waiting for him to loosen funding restrictions on stem cell research. But do you think this would have happened when Bush was in charge? I believe the approval would have been squashed.
• Obama overturns the "Mexico City Policy," aka the Global Gag rule. I suspect this will be one of his more controversial moves in the early days but one I support so it makes my list of good deeds.
  

Monday, 01/26

• Obama has directed the EPA to reconsider California proposed emission standards for automobiles. This may have some positive and negative impacts but will have most positive long term effects.