As it’s the presidential inauguration today I thought I would take a look at the new President.
Not my usual thing but what the hell.
I will concentrate on the political side as I don’t care what his past was, where he came from or his racial origins, it is the man that matters.
President Obama has so far made the right noises regarding his priorities: -BBC NEWS
He is going to stimulate the economy with a countrywide road- and bridge-building programme, as well as nationwide schemes to refurbish public buildings and schools. In the hope it will create jobs and trigger consumer spending.
Sounds familiar.
He will also introduce tax credits for companies that create jobs; tax cuts for 95% of Americans and extended unemployment benefit.
A bit familiar but I like the tax cuts and extended benefits-Gord take note.
On health:
He has promised to reduce the cost of health insurance, and offering a new affordable public plan for those that don’t have insurance.
Sounds good, he’s lucky he doesn’t have “lord” (karzi) Darzi to firk it up.
On Iraq and Afghanistan:
He is talking about bringing the troops home by 2010, not soon enough, but the snag is he is going to increase troop numbers in Afghanistan by 20,000 to 30,000 by summer this year.
On Guantanimo:
He is going to close the “prison camp” within two years and end torture, which means the same thing, his problem is what to do with the prisoners, as no country seems to want them.
On climate change:
He has pledged to ensure that 10% of America's electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25% by 2025. He also wants an 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Too little too late, America has ignored climate change for years, strange because they are one of the biggest polluters in the world.
He has ordered a new Presidential car called “the beast”-BBC NEWS very environmentally friendly, but I suppose a taxi would be out of the question.
He wants to engage with the world:
And has pledged to make progress on the Israeli/Palestine conflict, and has also pledged to make a “major” speech in the Muslim world, in Egypt or Indonesia, which will piss of Tony Blair who has labelled himself the “ambassador of religion”.
He will try to get NATO to send more troops to Afghanistan, probably not a good idea.
All in all about what you would expect from a forty odd year old, I suppose it’s a “wait and see” thing.
Just to be the devils advocate here is George W Bush’s inauguration speech-George W. Bush: First Inaugural Address in 2001.
“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else.”- Winston Churchill.
Angus
Not my usual thing but what the hell.
I will concentrate on the political side as I don’t care what his past was, where he came from or his racial origins, it is the man that matters.
President Obama has so far made the right noises regarding his priorities: -BBC NEWS
He is going to stimulate the economy with a countrywide road- and bridge-building programme, as well as nationwide schemes to refurbish public buildings and schools. In the hope it will create jobs and trigger consumer spending.
Sounds familiar.
He will also introduce tax credits for companies that create jobs; tax cuts for 95% of Americans and extended unemployment benefit.
A bit familiar but I like the tax cuts and extended benefits-Gord take note.
On health:
He has promised to reduce the cost of health insurance, and offering a new affordable public plan for those that don’t have insurance.
Sounds good, he’s lucky he doesn’t have “lord” (karzi) Darzi to firk it up.
On Iraq and Afghanistan:
He is talking about bringing the troops home by 2010, not soon enough, but the snag is he is going to increase troop numbers in Afghanistan by 20,000 to 30,000 by summer this year.
On Guantanimo:
He is going to close the “prison camp” within two years and end torture, which means the same thing, his problem is what to do with the prisoners, as no country seems to want them.
On climate change:
He has pledged to ensure that 10% of America's electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25% by 2025. He also wants an 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Too little too late, America has ignored climate change for years, strange because they are one of the biggest polluters in the world.
He has ordered a new Presidential car called “the beast”-BBC NEWS very environmentally friendly, but I suppose a taxi would be out of the question.
He wants to engage with the world:
And has pledged to make progress on the Israeli/Palestine conflict, and has also pledged to make a “major” speech in the Muslim world, in Egypt or Indonesia, which will piss of Tony Blair who has labelled himself the “ambassador of religion”.
He will try to get NATO to send more troops to Afghanistan, probably not a good idea.
All in all about what you would expect from a forty odd year old, I suppose it’s a “wait and see” thing.
Just to be the devils advocate here is George W Bush’s inauguration speech-George W. Bush: First Inaugural Address in 2001.
“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else.”- Winston Churchill.
Angus
