Here's My Take #3: In The First 100 Days, What Should The Next President Do?

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HERE'S MY TAKE: TAKE #3

QUESTION: How would you shape the first 100 days of the incoming administration? What issues would you want tackled during this time and how would you handle them?

SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER: Send your entry to "heresmycall AT gmail.com" and put "Here's My Take" in the subject line. Include your name and a quick bio, three sentences or so. Or, use this handy link to Survey Monkey to submit.

DEADLINE: Monday, October 20 at midnight.

DISCUSS: OffTheBus's op-ed editors will format and publish your submissions, as well as a quick post on the most popular and interesting picks sent in. Everyone who participated will be notified when the feature goes up.
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In the first exercise we chose our "dream teams" for the incoming administration and in the second we iterated our top three issues - - excluding the economy. In this post, I would like to combine the previous two exercises to come up with a plan for the first 100 days. Remember, this is your "in a perfect world" scenario. How would you map out the first 3+ months?

As I wrote this column, I realized that I had no idea WHY we target the first 100 days of an administration as we do. I went looking for the answer and the only clue I could find relates to FDR: "Americans of all political persuasions were demanding immediate action, and Roosevelt responded with a remarkable series of new programs in the "first hundred days" of the administration, in which he met with congress for 100 days. During those 100 days of lawmaking, Congress granted every "request" Roosevelt asked." I suppose this set the standard and that is why. If anyone knows another reason, I would love to know.

There is your history lesson for the day. Now, onward...

Here's what I want to happen:

I want the Obamas to spend the first five of those days partying. Goodness knows, they deserve it after this campaign. Additionally, there IS the historical element of the first black First Family; one which I can hardly wait for!

Days six to forty-five, I want all departments, assuming the staff is in place, tasked with getting their plans submitted for the following policy areas: Iraq withdrawal and Afghanistan war, economic crisis and healthcare. Plus they should review ALL the Bush signing statements for constitutionality.

During this time-frame, weekly progress reports are required, weekly face-to-face meetings with the President and Vice President and statements by the Secretaries to the public about progress. This will improve transparency in government, utilize the expertise of Joe Biden and allow the citizens to get to know those who are running our country.

Days forty-six to ninety would be for executing Phase 1 of the plans. During this time as well, the departments not involved with these goals can begin the process of executing their own part of the administration policies.

This may sound simplistic and may seem like a short list, but consider what it would take to achieve a workable Phase 1 of any of those plans, let alone all four. There is then four years, dare I wish for eight, to continue and revise those plans while following the same "bite-size" chunk approach. I believe that this is how Obama both would and should approach the issues we face as a nation.

So, what's YOUR take. Reply using this link to Survey Monkey. Deadline is Monday, October 20 at midnight.

Comments

[applehead]

Part Five

Priority Three::
The pursuit of happiness. Communities (the right winger will call them ‘communes’) will be set up for orphanages and old age homes so that people can live in lovely park and gardenesque settings where the old will help educate and nurture the young and the young will help and care for the old.
A network of organizations will help cut abortions to near zero, offering to adopt the would-be abortees, offering to care for and comfort the pregnant girl or woman for the duration of her pregnancy and to compensate her afterwards. The right wing will have all kinds of reasons why this is wrong but that’s because they hypocrites who only want to use abortion as a wedge issue and truthfully could not car less about the unborn. As president, I will care for with my heart AND my powers the unborn as much as any citizen.
Veterans will be given state of the art medical treatment in state of the art hospitals. All people who need to see a doctor will see one.--- for free. And education will be free. Right wingers will say that that’s un-American. I don’t know where they would GET that but I do know the founding fathers promised us the pursuit of happiness.
God Bless you Miss Huffington --- and God Bless us all.”
I hang up. My chief says. “Sean Hannity wants to know why you hate America.”
“Give me that phone!”

[applehead]

Part Four

Priority Two:
The environment. Gas engines will be phased out over two years. Wind and solar energy will be launched full steam ahead into our mainstream lives. Desalinization plants will be built up and down both coasts and water will be pumped into reservoirs built into the hills and mountains and valleys and lakes so that when the melting polar ice would otherwise flood all sea level land it will instead be used to irrigate even the deserts. We will grow enough food to fatten al live stalk and feed the whole world. People who are against feeding the world can stew on their sour grapes all they want --- but if they resist it with violence they will be imprisoned.

[applehead]

Part Three


And last but not least, the Bush administration will be investigated. Charged. And imprisoned.
People who have moved their businesses to other countries will not be allowed to live in this country. If they want to bring their businesses back, they can and all will be forgiven. If not, they will be charged with treason and stripped of their citizenship. And deported.

[applehead]

Part Two

I will then get the ball rolling on protecting our country from menaces to society. Most victims of crime are the victim of people who should already be in prison for being previously found guilty of victimizing other people. I will bring pressure to pass a one strike and you’re out law. If you’re a menace to society --- rob, rape burglarize, kill, assault, scam --- you will go to prison for life. A system will be set up so that once a person can prove he is rehabilitated, he can be set free, incrementally, under sharp supervision. It won’t cost hundreds of millions of dollars, or even one million, to bud a prison.. The old fashioned barbed wire fence and guard towers an patrolling dogs wilt keep them in just fine. They’ll be escape proof. They’ll grow their own food. They won’t be harmed or bullied; they’ll be watched very closely and anyone who is a threat to others will be put into solitary confinement. Guards and wardens who are corrupt will be charged and imprisoned.
The defense industry will be nationalized. It is self defeating to have corporations sell us the wherewithal to defend ourselves. Their prices are inflated outrageously.

[applehead]

Part One

I’m at my desk. My chief of staff is holding the phone.
“It’s that Huffington lady. She wants to know what your top three priorities for your first 100 days are? ”
“Give me that. Hello? You got your tape recorder on? I don’t want to be misquoted, taken out of context, paraphrased, interpreted, abridged, or edited. Okay
My First Hundred Days
My top three priorities are homeland security, the environment, and the pursuit of happiness,
So priority one --- and these will all be worked on simultaneously --- is homeland security.

The borders will be protected. I’d be happy to let every citizen of the world come and live here – after we n determine they are not a threat to our country or a menace to society. But I don’t want anyone coming into our country uninvited. If I had been president on nine eleven I would have sealed off the borders that day before dark, using the army, the National Guard, citizen volunteers, from the lengths of the Mexican border, the Canadian border, and up and down both coasts. The moment I am inaugurated, the borders will be sealed shut. All ports will be scrutinized to the inth degree.

[Karma7]

I would do exactly what John F. Kennedy Jr. said he would

“First, I would repeal the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, which created what l believe is the privately owned central bank of the United States government and which confiscates the incomes of Americans and gradually transfers them into the accounts of the ruling class. I would replace the Fed with a model based on the only state-owned banking system, the Bank of North Dakota, because it creates wealth for the people. Second, I would reduce the reach of the Fed's collection agency, the IRS, by assigning it the task of managing a state-run national sales tax. Third, I would make sure every home in America has a computer, so that every child has a future-and every adult an information technology skill and a job.” [George, Oct98, Vol. 3 Issue 10, p136, 1p, 1c, 1bw. Item Number: 1158252]

[MyTake]

(1) Establish a "War Room" to abolish the "Shadow Government of the United States. Disband The Bilderberg Group, The Trilateral Commission and The Council on Foreign Relations.

(2) Establish a "War Room" to abolish the U.S. Federal Reserve Act and establish a true U.S. Banking System.

(3) Prepare legislation to audit all banks globally that transfer money into and out of the U.S. economy.

(3) Abolish all of the Bush Executive Orders.

(4) Abolish the CIA

(5) Abolish Homeland Security

(6) Ammend the Constitution to enable two Vice Presidential positions (1 for National Affairs (includes the Nations internal security and infrastructure), 1. for International Affairs (includes being the Head of State).

(7) Deploy a 2nd adult in all public classrooms as a Student Personnel Manager.

(8) Release the Hydrogen Economy and demand all government buildings and school buildings deploy Hydrogen Fuel Cell electrical systems.

And last, but not least, arrest Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, take them to in front of that big Obelisk, lay them down on their backs and "WATER BOARD" them while on nation wide TV!

[edpell]

Withdraw all US troops from outside the U.S.. Have them back before the 100 days are done. Close all U.S. military bases outside the U.S.. Send legislation to congress to end Medicare and Medicaid. Propose a Constitutional amendment to make the IRS and the "federal reserve bank" unconstitutional. That is shutdown the IRS and the FED. Begin paying down the 11.3 trillion dollar debt. End the income tax.

[ejeder]

Restore the Constitution.

[Moshe]

1) Restore the Rule of Law.
2) Hold those that have broken our laws fully accountable regardless of how rich and powerful they are, starting with Bush, Cheney, and the whole neo-con corporatist crime family.

Lies, corruption, and unchecked greed are at the very core of what has gone wrong in our Nation, from the disastrous and unnecessary war in Iraq to the current finacial collapse.

And if those that have broken our laws and stolen from us are allowed to do so without consequence, the Rule of Law collapses, and with it, all that was great about our Nation.

3) Tell the American People the truth: It's time to grow up and take responsibility for your own lives, families, and communities. Nothing the government can do for you can fix your own failure to take responsibility for your own life.

That means do the right thing everyday, even when no one is watching. Be honest in all that you do, work hard, work smart, put your children and your family first in your life, take care of your health, eat right, exercise, save for your future, help your neighbors when you can and contribute to charity and your community, with every able person helping those who truly cannot help themselves.

A better future comes from better decisions now and persistence in doing the right thing everyday.

Shalom to all.

[Oldtimer]

I'm wingin this The first thing I would NOT do is appoint a standing senator to anything. We need Hillary, Webb, and Dodd leading the fight in the Senate. I would appoint John Edwards as Attorney General and fire every Bush appointee in every agency. Edwards would be charged with staffing the Department with particular emphasis on using the RICO statute to investigate Wall Street, corporate lobbying, and Bush/Cheney crimes. I would appoint Sam Nunn as Sec of Defense charged with intelligently cutting the military budget by at least 50%. I would put Richard Clarke at the helm of Homeland Security and consider its disbandment. I would put Robert Reich at the head of Treasury and charge him with redefining the role of the FED and the structure of banking bailouts. In particular I would push for a cap on credit card rates at 18%. I would put Chuck Hagel in charge of Veterans Affairs. I 'd put Joe Califano back in HEW. I would tap Mike McCurry for press sec if he's available. Andrew Cuomo goes on the Supreme Court as he will outlast Roberts and Alito. I would ask Mario Cuomo to be my Robert Moses figure to organize public works projects that address infrastructure for the next 100 years.And last but not least I would appoint Al Gore as the Secratary of State with emphasis on pulling out of Iraq while we avoid new confrontations and buy time to heal our domestic energy problems.

[Hadrian3]

That is indeed an impressive list. If only 50% of those appointments are made it will be the dawning of a new day for America and the rest of the world.

[Dandrea]

Here are 2 no-brainers for saving government money---
Get rid of Medicare Part D prescription plan and go to single- payer like Medicare. Get PHARMA out of the picture.
Here's something else we can't just sit by and watch as we are being robbed---waste in government spending. Just think of the $$$$ that was stolen by Dick Cheney's companies in Iraq. I can't believe that we let them get by with that!. We allowed the government to use our $ like it was Monoply money.

[Noelle]

Many have already covered the most important topics, so I will only add one. Something MUST be done to end and/or reverse the massive media consolidation in this country. It has become dangerous how few people control what is and is not news and what is and is not investigated.

[Rastamannn]

SIMPLE......

ARREST BUSH
ARREST CHENEY
ARREST RUMSFELD
ARREST WOLFOWITZ
ARREST BREMER
ARREST MUKASEY
ARREST GONZALEZ
ARREST RICE

ETC
ETC
ETC
ETC

I THINK YOU GET THE IDEA...IT'S PAGES LONG

[OrganOfThought]

brilliant

[geobushono]

ditto.

[breakingpoint]

With a Democrat House Senate and Exec.

Universal Health Care.
Rebuild the Infrastructure (JOBS).
Fully Fund the Justice System.
Charge and Arrest Bush/Cheney For Crimes Against Humanity.
Undo what Bush/Cheney have done to the Constitution and Bill of Rights re-institute the FOA.
Cut the Military Budget in Half and Fully Fund Schools, K through College (MORE JOBS).
Arrest Corrupt Bankers Investors Insurance CEOs.

This would be a good start

[breakingpoint]

a few more...

Pass an stock trader investment tax of 1.5% - 1% will take care of the bailout - take the .5% of that tax and invest those funds in solar energy R&D (JOBS). Regulate this industry day one.

Rescind Telecom Immunity.

Tax brakes for companies who bring jobs back from over seas.

Close all tax cuts or government funding to any and all companies who hide their money or participate in off shore banking.

Curb NAFTA and Trade with Foreign Nations - no product sales allowed in the US if a country dose not allow their labor to organize or if they violate human rights, health and safety

Curb the credit card industry interest rates.

Eliminate Pay Day Loans Stores.

Tax breaks for farms that produce only organic crops (JOBS).