If you are like me, Inauguration Day cannot come fast enough as this country continues to sink in its financial morass and as its reported, one does not know where the bottom is. Speaking of this recession, blow-hard Rush Limbaugh tried to blame it on President-Elect Barack Obama. Nice try, Limbaugh, but it will not work. The economy is the number one reason why the Republican candidate John McCain lost in a landslide. I guess Limbaugh does not pay attention to electoral maps and the popular vote.
This is where I do not see the genius of our founding fathers since they failed at realizing that in future elections an immediate transfer of power must come about especially if the public voted for it based upon the actions of its current president. I doubt they could have foreseen this financial crash: Then again, there was no stock market back in the good old days.
The Wall Street Journal reported back in October, that Bush was working on his successors transition. In that article, it stated, “The White House announced steps Thursday to speed the transition process for the next administration, aiming to help the new president begin work quickly on national security and economic issues.” One can label that move coming from the current president as being the wisest one to date.
They also reported, "The winner's advisers will move into offices in key government agencies within days after the Nov. 4 election, forming the nucleus of the next administration." At this point seeing that President-Elect Obama won, an angry electorate should say to the current officials, there's the door and...Well you know the rest. Too bad that the Constitution does not actually say that.
As the new President-Elect Barack Obama traveled to the White House accompanied by his wife Michelle for a tour of the White House, President-Elect Obama had a substantive meeting with President Bush urging him to move on certain items before he comes into power. One of those is a bailout of the auto industry so that millions of Americans do not lose their jobs. While meritorious, one has to realize that Bush would not hear the pleas coming from his successor. If Bush has not heard the American people up to this point, he will never hear any plea even if it comes from President-Elect Obama.
The Wall Street Journal went onto report and this is critical when it comes to the Middle East, "Many of the steps track recommendations of the 9/11 commission, as well as legislation that Congress passed in late 2004. In part, the moves reflect officials' recognition that developed countries could be at greater risk of attack during times of political transition."
This is highly important since the current Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice has basically washed her hands when it comes to the many conflicts within this region. If she will not do it, then President-Elect Obama should be free to send someone of his choosing into that region and the same goes for any person of his choosing to replace the Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.
Constitutionally, the incoming administration has no powers, but the current administration should get the ball rolling given the mandate coming from the voters last week. I know that is shouting into the wind, but it does make sense.
On Veteran’s Day, President Bush looked back on the things he should not have said as evident in this YouTube.com feed. He stated that his wife Laura had reminded him of this fact. Hello, Mr. President…Haven’t you been listening to the American people all these years? Oh who am I kidding? The man has had cotton-balls in his ears during these eight years. He has only paid attention to those that have agreed with him.
President Bush’s mindset is already back in Crawford, Texas. He wants out of this job faster than a car at Nascar. To paraphrase Howard Fineman yesterday as he was being interviewed on Hardball, he has the towel around his neck and is in the locker-room. I just wish there were a way of getting him out those locker-room doors and sent on his way back to Texas.
This morning, the AP reported, "The number of newly laid-off individuals seeking unemployment benefits has jumped to a level not seen since just after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks." They also reported "The number of homeowners caught in the wave of foreclosures in October grew 25 percent nationally over the same month in 2007, data released Thursday showed." This is yet more evidence why the incoming Obama administration needs to get to work immediately and we cannot wait till Inauguration Day.
Politico.com reported yesterday, “Congressional Democrats are eyeing a little-known, Clinton-era law as a way to reverse Bush administration midnight regulations — even ones that have already taken effect.”
They went onto report, “It’s a move that would undermine the White House’s attempt to finalize its energy and environmental regulations by November so that Barack Obama couldn’t undo them after he’s sworn in as the 44th president on Jan. 20.”
I just wish that our founders had built into our Constitution a similar clause to protect the United States of America especially if the times warranted it. How I wish and I do suspect that others wish that we could have an immediate swearing in ceremony so that we can send Bush packing and where these serious issues could be tackled by our new president, Barack Obama. We could save January 20th as a day of celebration. Right now, America is suffering from a heart attack and President Bush refuses to use the paddles on her.
Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net
