Soccer Dad

Churning out those press releases

A White House press release Washington Post article the other day reported that Obama starts reversing Bush policies.

President Obama moved swiftly yesterday to begin rolling back eight years of his predecessor's policies, ordering tough new ethics rules and preparing to issue an order closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which has been at the center of the debate over the treatment of U.S. prisoners in the battle against terrorism.

Unfortunately there's no discussion in the article about the possible consequences of the closure and resultant release of the prisoners. But last week the Penatgon reported that 61 former detainees were again fighting against the United States. And the NY Times is now reporting (via memeorandum) that a former detainee has become a leader of Al Qaeda in Yemen. At least the Times writes that this:

... underscored the potential complications in carrying out the executive order President Obama signed Thursday that the detention center be shut down within a year.

So maybe the Post is happy with this turn of events, but it fails to mention the possible risks.

Later the article discusses new lobbying rules.

The lobbying rules announced yesterday aim to end what has become a way of life in Washington, where those serving in an administration collect chits that are quickly cashed in once they depart government. Under the new rules, presidential appointees who leave office will not be allowed to lobby any federal agency as long as Obama remains in office.

"It's not about advantaging yourself. It's not about advancing your friends or your corporate clients. It's not about advancing an ideological agenda or the special interests of any organization," Obama told Cabinet members and senior staff at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. "Public service is, simply and absolutely, about advancing the interests of Americans."

This of course makes sense and I hate to be churlish. Well maybe I don't hate it. But it is interesting that Michele Obama's important $300,000 a year job at a Chicago hospital has not survived her husband's promotion to Washington, isn't it? This does seem to be an earmark issue not a lobbying one, so maybe the new President could take a strong stand against earmarks too.

Cheat Seeking Missiles has a humorous (and unserious) look at the issue.