Obama brings change on the first day
Barely twenty-four hours into his first day as the nation’s 44th President, Barack Obama made it clear that he is not going to tolerate business as usual in the nation’s capital.
The salary freeze affects those top White House aides making over $100,000 a year, demonstrating a clear break from the disastrous Bush administration by proving that Obama really can talk the talk and walk the walk. ‘Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington,’ Obama said addressing the press this morning. Finally’a leader who’s REALLY in touch with the difficulties regular Americans are struggling with.
More importantly however, was Obama’s action to limit the influence of lobbyists in the Oval Office. Obama’s first executive order bans aides to the Obama administration who leave his staff to turn around and lobby the government. No more revolving door to K Street. Going even further, Obama also banned those staffers already hired from working on issues they had previously lobbied on, or to lobby government agencies they previously worked to influence. Even FURTHER, Obama banned all lobbyists from giving gifts of any size to those working in his administration.
Thank. God (if s/he/it exists). Perhaps now, regular folks won’t be shuttered out of a government that supposed to be by us, for us. Obama wasn’t messing around’he’s been waiting in the wings, forced to watch the lamest duck we’ve ever had twiddle his thumbs while the proverbial plane was crashing into the mountain. Now, with Obama at the rudder, it’s clear that simply doing nothing and maintaining the status quo is simply not tolerated. Thank. God.