Well, hallelujah

[veronica_rich]

We're going to have a president once again who believes in science over letting hoodoo and superstition dictate research policy. I damn near don't know what to do with this new situation; seems odd to hope after so long of being beaten down and preached smirked at to accept what I'm being fed, instead of listening to what the majority actually supports.

Obama reviews Bush orders on stem cells, drilling

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – President-elect Obama's transition chief said Sunday the incoming administration is looking to reverse President Bush's executive orders on stem cell research, oil and gas drilling and other matters.

John Podesta said the president can use such orders to move quickly without waiting for Congress to act, highlighting the extraordinary powers a president can wield beyond signing legislation approved by Congress. Podesta said people should expect Obama to use those powers to reverse many policies of the Bush administration.

"I think across the board, on stem cell research, on a number of areas, you see the Bush administration even today moving aggressively to do things that I think are probably not in the interest of the country," Podesta said in a broadcast interview.

"There's a lot that the president can do using his executive authority without waiting for congressional action, and I think we'll see the president do that," Podesta said.

President Bush has limited federal spending on stem cell research, a position championed by opponents of abortion rights. Obama has supported the research in an effort to find cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Also, the federal Bureau of Land Management is opening about 360,000 acres of public land in Utah to oil and gas drilling, leading to protests from environmentalists.

"They want to have oil and gas drilling in some of the most sensitive, fragile lands in Utah," Podesta said. "I think that's a mistake."

Podesta also said Obama is working to build a Cabinet that is diverse. That includes reaching out to Republicans and independents — part of the broad coalition that supported Obama during the race against Republican John McCain.

A top House Republican said there is a willingness to try to work with Obama to get things done. But Rep. Eric Cantor also said to expect Republicans to serve as a check against the power held by Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California.

"There is going to be, I think, a willingness to try and get things done," Cantor said. "But at the end of the day I think you will see a Republican Party in Congress serving as a check and a balance against Mr. Obama's power and Speaker Pelosi's power."

Cantor, a Virginia Republican, is running to be the second-ranking Republican in the House — the job of minority whip.

Cantor and Podesta spoke on "Fox News Sunday."

Comments

[randomposting.livejournal.com]

I'm so so happy.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

It's strange to see common sense again, yeah?

[randomposting.livejournal.com]

Yeah. But it sure is nice.

[xzombiexkittenx.livejournal.com]

YAY! (I need an "Obama is doing cool shit" icon...)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I need a "Don't Hate Me Because I'm Not Christian" icon.

We live in a religious-neutral country. Or, we were supposed to. So no Christians should be surprised when laws aren't passed based on their bible. They should be happy they can practice their worship freely without persecution, and without paying taxes to do so - and they shouldn't expect any more than that.

[gobsmacked.livejournal.com]

Tell 'em that in California, Fla et al.

[the-dala.livejournal.com]

From what I hear of the protests, that's exactly what people are doing :)

[gobsmacked.livejournal.com]

Sounds great to me, but what do I know? I'm just one of those wacky Canuckistanis.

This will pretty well confirm the opinion of one of my loopier contacts that Obama is a Marxist. (But still a Muslim extremist, because that church was just a front - an atheist Marxist church to act as Obama's religious beard. I think this man is about a dime short in the logic department.)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I sort of wish he WAS a Socialist. I mean hell, we're already bailing out big business and the banking system - some low-cost, ready health care would be nice in the bargain, if you ask me ...

[gobsmacked.livejournal.com]

Prof. Loopy claims that Obama admits he is a communist in his autobiography. Do I know? No, but I don't think so somehow.

[a-silver-rose.livejournal.com]

This is part of why I'm so giddy about voting for him and seeing him win. There's a light at the end of the tunnel at last.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Amen, let's hope it is. We need some light.

[the-dala.livejournal.com]

The things he's chosen to concentrate on within one week of election - building a cabinet, this stuff and now Abu Gharaib - fill me with, well, hope.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

It does look like he's trying to do as much as he can from a distance, to hit the ground running on Day Zero. But I think it's also wise that he's making it clear HE is not yet the president - you don't want to be associated with a lame duck's actions if you can at all help it.

[roguedemon.livejournal.com]

Thank god. I mean, I almost can't believe it. I've been gritting my teeth for so long, I've worn them down to nubs. I was listening to "American Idiot" by Green Day yesterday and realizing that I won't have to listen to angry music all the time just to keep myself going. It's wierd.

Even if Obama can't work overnight miracles on the economy, there is so much stuff he can do. Stem cell research is going to be a real boon to scientists. We might actually attract top scientists to the U.S. again, instead of scaring them off. And I'm not forgetting the Supreme Court.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I read an article today, a summation by the AP of various hate crimes that have occurred around the country since the election, the "us versus them" of racists. And you know, I never think about that sort of thing - I actively try not to - but it really bothered me, precisely because I've been ignoring it. I just want him to have a chance to do his work without idiots depriving him and us of what this country needs right now. IMO.

[roguedemon.livejournal.com]

I saw the same or something similar, and yeah, it makes me grit my teeth. I just hope the secret service knows what they are about. I know that there are a lot of people that are going to try to get in the way. My only comfort is that right now all these people seem to be disarrayed and marginalized -- the far right, for example, is in a real downward spiral of finger pointing and silly ideas -- and hopefully that will help.

What does piss me off is that is the Democrats in Congress, after being handed a mandate, are doing nothing with it. They let Leiberman keep his key chairmanship and that is just bullshit. My main hope is that Obama will tell them what to do and they will follow suit -- which is pretty much how it has been for a while, anyway...

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Well, with Lieberman, the problem there is that it was OBAMA who counseled forgiving him and keeping him around in the first place - there were a lot of Democrats who wanted to ride him out on a rail. And now I hear he probably won't prosecute Cheney et. al. for war crimes. I guess I understand this attitude of "we have bigger problems," but honestly, a precedent needs to be set to show the world that Americans do NOT tolerate that kind of behavior and are not willing to forgive it in their own without some sort of penalty.