On the Job
January 22nd, 2009
Obama freezes higher White House salaries, forbids lobbyists’ gifts or leaving the White House to become a lobbyist, and issues a new policy saying that things become classified only for good reason: “Information will not be withheld just because I say so. It will be withheld because a separate authority believes my request is well grounded in the Constitution.” This after suspending the trials at Gitmo. So, on his first day, so far, we have austerity, anti-corruption, and government transparency, with rule of law being worked on.
Next on the schedule: closing Gitmo.
Sounds to me like someone is restoring honor and dignity to the White House. I guess that you gotta pay more attention to what people do than to what they say.
And now, the first issue* I take with… *ahem*… President Obama. (Wow, it’s like training yourself not to write “2008” on your personal checks anymore.)
Freezing the pay raises is a nice gesture, but I think Obama overshot. $100,000 really isn’t all that much these days, especially if you’re the only wage earner in a four-person household and you’re living in a big city. $150,000 or $200,000 would have been a sufficient gesture, and would not have been a hardship for those affected.
*I mean, putting aside his major blindside to the gay community with the choice of the repulsive Rick Warren and the crappy treatment of Bishop Gene Robinson.