Obama Starts Working On Legislative Agenda

Eager to avoid the missteps that plagued the first months of the Clinton administration, aides to Barack Obama have begun working in concert with top Democrats in Congress to craft a preliminary legislative agenda that would guide the senator from Illinois should he capture the White House in November.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has assigned her committee chairmen to begin with low-hanging fruit to build confidence and provide a new, young president quick legislative victories, then pivot to more challenging issues, from ending U.S. military involvement in Iraq to broadening health-care coverage. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) said his policy staffs and Obama's have been working together for more than a month.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Gary47]

Oh Please. The very first things to do are 1) eliminate all oil industry tax breaks, recent and past; 2) institute an oil industry windfall profits tax retroactive to the first of this year; 3) repeal all the bush tax cuts for the rich retroactive to the first of the this year. All money from 1 and 2 should be devoted to solar power research and development. All money from 3 should be devoted to a middle class tax cut.

Once we stop the bleeding then we can get to work on making things better.

[rollingdivision]

Democrats have had control of congress since 2006, if things are so bad why haven't they addressed any of these issues?

[Gary47]

Let us know when you wake up from your comic book reading and return to the real world.

[Bobleblah1]

Why would anyone fight to get Nancy Pelosi reelected.
I'll wait for one of her paid defenders to respond.
And remember those stupid Pelosi talking points will get smashed in about 30 seconds
so come up with compelling reasons if you can.

[fishsandwichesr2good]

Gee, that's neat! No one can name a single accomplishment of BO's during his professional or legislative career, so we might as well start thinking forward to the years ahead where he might achieve something. Perhaps I'm wrong. Can anyone cite one significant accomplishment of BO? I'll just start whistling the Jeopardy tune now while I wait for a response...

[DocJerome]

Wow! You look really foolish recycling old talking points. I am sure you already know what they are; but please continue, I am enjoying the spectacle.

[fishsandwichesr2good]

Once again, a liberal provides an empty response to a simple request to come up with a meaningful accomplishment by BO. Thanks for playing.

[rollingdivision]

He has no significant accomplishments.

[naijaman]

Hey fishsandwichesr2good, here is a comprehensive list of Senator Obama's accomplishments:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4578207

[fishsandwichesr2good]

LOL. That thin list simply proves my point. Did you even read the list?! His Illinois resume is a bunch of patch work pathetic liberal feel-good do nothing bills.

And his US Senate resume is almost non-existent. I love the summary that he "sponsored and co sponsored Bills in the U.S. Senate.......which include worthwhile bills dealing with a wide range of issues, from Election reform bills to the Cooperative Proliferation Detection reduction Act (w/t Sen. Lugar) to Internet database transparency Act." And there is absolutely no evidence of any Senate success in "reaching across the aisle" as he claims repeatedly.

Face it, he's an empty suit with a nice smile. He does give a good speech when he reads from a teleprompter. When he freelances, however, he stutters like a goat.

[harriscrl3]

I've never seen a politican more ready to fix goverenment so that it can start working for people. Its just proof to me what bad shape this country is in. The rethugs have made a mess of this country and they think that they can keep faking it like enron by saying the economy is sound oh we are exaggerating we are whining too much. But I will say this I'm under no illusion here you know things are bad when Americans are willing to consider an AA and a woman for President. Instead of regthugs using that as proof and say you know what we really can BS our way out of this we have to come up with plans that work for average folks. Instead they still want to continue down the same path. They dont care about ordinary folks. Does John McCain have a plan to put folks back to work or is he just going to give tax breaks to weatlhy corporations on some whim that they might be able to provide jobs for people. The government has to take some responsiblity here they cant just push everything onto the free market thats why Keyenes advocated public works project to jump start the economy but McCain has NOTHING but tax cuts for corproation. Thats all he has to offer to the american people.

Carol

[Paisano]

Start with asking the speaker to step down. She is literally covering up war crimes!

[Bobleblah1]

Every time I see Nancy Pelosi's face I just want to smash something.

God willing, this monster will be removed from office.
Obama diminishes himself every time he is seen with this wretch.

Nancy Pelosi is a national cancer.

[larry278]

True. It is time for Rep Pelosi to go to what ever the US House of Representitives has which resembles the back benches of the UK's House of Commons-if the people of her district re-elect her.

[coldshot]

If by some chance this upstart were to be elected, I agree that someone would need to lead this totally clueless pantywaist.
But does anyone actually think that the Queen of the moon bats is the proper choice?

[Strywever]

You've proven you're good at name calling. Are you good at anything else? You mirror the Republican Party.

[Liberal2]

"Foreigners have cause to hate America."
"I promise a more humble foreign policy."
George W. "The totally inferior"

"...But does anyone actually think that the Queen of the moon bats is the proper choice?..."

You mean...like compared to a rethug? Four words: Bush, Cheney, and McCain. WHAT COLOR IS THE SKY ON YOUR PLANET?

[Seattlelite]

This is another example of what we can expect from an O administration. Already getting the foundation in place to allow him to hit the ground running.

[KBAR]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has assigned her committee chairmen to begin with low-hanging fruit to build confidence and provide a new, young president quick legislative victories,

First bill would be to amend the National Anthem to the words of L'Internationale

[YankeeCanuck]

What's your point? What has the COmmunist Manifesto to do with the article?

[KBAR]

Just showing up DimLibs for what they really are.

[boogygran]

Vacuous troll remarks can't dent the enthusiasm of the winners featured in this week's campaign - you lose.

Go O'bama/Biden - '08 & '12 Take America Back

[KBAR]

Obama/Putin '08

[KBAR]

Why wait! Get your own personal copy today !!

http://books.google.com/books?id=yhOOvF61XKgC&dq=communist+manifesto&pg=PP1&ots=IEl_JZM_js&sig=BqDtyjlBS2pkC0Tdvayb4lJeF9Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result

[JadedAggie]

If you were literate I'd say you should read it so that you actually knew what a communist was, but I guess I should just be happy you could read the cover.

[Liberal2]

His mother helped with the big words.

[KBAR]

Barry is a good example. His books were a window into the Marxist soul.

[flymic]

Fired UP!

[AurigaRa]

first things first
get rid of Pelosi and Reid

[barackobama4prez]

I disagree. I am well aware of why folks want them out, but my take on it is that they are only as good as their president allows. They have been fighting this president for almost 8 years but they won't have to fight with O b a m a.

[V4Vigilance]

BS. When you look at the cr@p that's been passed since they gained the majority after the '06 election, calling Pelosi and Reid leaders is a running joke. They are so afraid of being labeled [insert GOP slur here]. They have utterly and completely abdicated their responsibility to protect the Constitution and the American people from the criminal acts of the Bush misAdministration.

Democratic Congressional leadership with a spine, that's Change I Can Believe In!

[boogygran]

We need to fight hard to get the current Dem Congressional candidates elected this fall as well, so that the whole legislative process is favorable for moving our country forward again - G0 Democrats in '08