Barron of Blog Wife, Kids, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Let the Change Begin

I'm very happy that President Obama has taken office - things seem to be going smoothly so far. And about that change thing he kept talking about? Yeah... it's already started. So far President Obama has...

... halted all regulations pending review to put the brakes on all pending regulations that the Bush administration tried to push through in its waning days.

... frozen salaries above 100k for White House staff.

... instantiated new lobbying rules that will not only ban aides from trying to influence the administration when they leave his staff, but also prevent those already hired from working on matters they have previously lobbied on or to approach agencies that they once targeted.

... revoked an executive order issued by President George W. Bush that allowed past presidents to exert executive privilege to keep some of their White House papers private. The order was viewed as ushering in a new era of presidential secrecy.

... circulated a draft to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year and halt all war crimes trials in the meantime. I hear he intends to sign the final draft on Thursday.

So far it's change I can believe in. Keep it up, Mr. President.

(UPDATE: President Obama re-took his oath on Tuesday in the White House Map Room)