The Obama team portrayed Leon Panetta as a no-nonsense Beltway veteran who would 'fix' the CIA. Over the past few weeks, however, he has emerged as an obstacle to real reform and accountability at the CIA.
It is not unusual for a president to want to be his own secretary of state, but rarely has a secretary so badly wanted to be her own president.
The task awaiting Obama was massive. And yet, there is a rush to decide how he's doing after 100 days. Donnie Walsh gets two years to revive the Knicks, but the president only gets 100 days to fix the country?
We're faced with a charismatic, hard working, media savvy president and a somewhat bland, beltway, Wall Street cabinet.
Ken Salazar has up to $200,000 in outstanding debt, a sharp contrast to the many millionaires serving in Obama's cabinet and on his senior staff.
Why shouldn't the people also have their own lawyer?
The greatest was Lincoln; the next best was Roosevelt. I think Obama has the potential to be a president on their level.
The choice of Trasvina as Assistant HUD Secretary is sure to be seen as a victory by both the progressive and Latino communities.
The Chinese banking system has been through so much stress during the last few decades, they are in a much better position than the U.S. to deal with the global financial crisis, says Joshua Cooper Ramo.
From: Barack Obama To: Rahm Emanuel
Dear Rahm, I'm concerned that I'm getting only one viewpoint on how to solve the banking crisis.
The Catholic Church may refer to pro-choice politicians as extremists but the majority of Catholic congregants agree with pro-choice politicians like Sebelius on reproductive issues.
Attention all those folks who voted for Obama not only because he promised America vital change, but because he swore to sustain foreign policy suppor...
Locke isn't exactly a lot of folks' favorite governor, though apart from his conventional approach to trade issues it's hard to argue that he's a bad choice for Commerce.
Two Secretary of Commerce nominees have slunk away like hyenas chastised from a zebra carcass by a pride of dusty lionesses.
I would like to take a moment to reflect on what Shepard Fairey has done to our world in the last year.
The Commerce Department, where I once worked as Deputy Under Secretary, is a hodge podge of agencies with no central purpose.
Timothy Geithner trusts the people who write the fine print on your credit card statement. If Don Knotts was alive, he'd be nervous.
For years, Democrats have led Republicans in the polls on most of the issues tracked by pollsters except two: national defense and commerce. This administration has an historic chance of changing that.
I will be "the People's Commerce Secretary," since I have no formal education and I'm not clear on what the Commerce Secretary does.
Union activists hope that when Hilda Solis is confirmed as Labor Secretary, she'll take some cues from the innovative, tough-minded prosecution in Los Angeles.
Rep. Solis has been forced to wait and watch while a few Republican Senators try to make political hay of her husband's small business tax woes.
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Talk of hope, change and lots of speeches. Also lots of exceptions. But, where are the results?
Passed legislation is not set in concrete. On healthcare, Americans wants healthcare but are interested how it is going to be paid. If healthcare that is very expensive is passed without the sanction of the majority support, the outcome will be felt in the mid-term election. It is going to make reversing the passed legislation a faith accompli. If that were to pass, that would not only destroy Obama"s presidency but will damage liberal and progressive ideologies. Ask yourself why Democrats are considered weak in national security even though atomic bomb, Korean war, execution of Vietnam war etc all took place under Democratic administrations. It came about by anti Vietnam war demonstration. It is not demonstrating against war was at issue but celebrating losing such war.
Stuart Whatley writes very well. His argument is robust, lucid and convincing. But they are what they are, which is, academic entertainment for wild-eyed liberals and progressives. It is analogous to beating drums, singing and dancing to it. Think for it for one second; what would happen if whitehouse were to craft legislature and have it sent to Congress only to be soundly deafeted. That will be the end of Obama"s presidency. A lion without springs in her legs is just another lamb. A President cannot guarantee re-election of any member of the Congress. That is the political calculus that matters in passing legislations. Proposing single-payer"s healthcare would have made universal healthcare system a toxic issue in heartland America. How much the right-wing radio talk-show would have made mince-meat of such proposal.
President Obama is very ingenous in his approach. On healthcare, he has brought stake-holders with disparate interests together and reduced all out campaign war against it by the opposition. Today, nobody is opposing universal healthcare but the argument is how to achieve it and that is a huge success.
Well, I'm not a "wild-eyed" Liberal, but I am a Liberal. Common sense is key to my way of thinking. Ideology is the spark, not the end result. Change starts in the hearts and minds first and foremost and some take longer in getting there than others.
I agree wholeheartedly with your comment.
Americans are slow learners. Most, apparently, loathe any type of change. For most people, change (outside the young people) is regarded with suspicion. I believe it's shows the genius in President Obama how he's working towards this change by allowing Americans the time to get used to the concept first.
It's clear it's working because who would've thought six months ago that the majority of Americans would embrace the idea of a public option (government offered) in our healthcare system? Now, it seems, we're ready for it and support it, and suddenly Kennedy comes out with his plan that's even less costly than the WH's?
The classic "bait n' switch", but this time for the good of the people, not the corporations.
Oh when he said he was going to get rid of lobbyists, he didn't mean HIS lobbyists.
This is consistent with all his other "rules". For someone else. Exceptions for him.
it is sad but you are so right.... I am very dissapointed in the team Obama has chosen to run the economy... I am dissapointed that a single payer health plan is not considered... I am dissapointed that the Bankers and wall street continue to go about their business as usual.. I really don't think I will ever vote again... I will drop out of the system. It doesn't matter who we elect it seems.
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