KAITLIN SCHLUTER | arts & culture editor
WITH AP SOURCES
In his first two weeks as the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama has set out to prove that these first 100 days will reflect his motto of “change,” even if this means upsetting some Republicans.
In the political realm, the first 100 days in office can make or break the candidate.
“This first couple of months, it’s about appearing decisive, appearing to be different than President Bush and trying to lay the groundwork for a future run because, trust me, all the things that he’s doing right now, he’s going to use on the campaign trail if he decides to run another three years,” associate professor in the Department of History and Political Science Jennifer Walsh, Ph.D. said.
Within his first days, past president Franklin Delano Roosevelt was able to exercise his authority and persuade Congress to pass many bills to save the nation from great economic instability.
“While I don’t expect Obama to be as successful as Franklin Delano Roosevelt was, because he’s a little bit more politically entrenched, I do think he’s going to have more opportunity to push through some pretty big programs within his first couple of months of presidency,” Walsh said.
Obama certainly has not wasted any time by exercising his executive powers.
In the first week, President Obama reversed multiple policies created by the Bush administration, the first of these being a plan to close Guantanamo Bay.
He hopes to close the detention facility in a year but has not yet released details about where the present 245 captives will be relocated.
Obama has also overturned the ban on international funding for groups that perform abortions or provide information about abortions.
The reversal was approved by a 67-30 vote. Some concerns arise with this decision because the funding will be provided through taxes.
As of 2008, the wealth of the economy has dropped 3.8 percent, marking the worst decrease in 25 years.
“You don’t want to be taxed so somebody abroad can have an abortion, whether or not you think abortion is right,” professor in the School of Business and Management Stuart Strother, Ph.D. said. “Our country is in recession now so we need help.”
Obama’s course for action against the recession includes a $819 billion stimulus bill that was passed on Jan. 28 with a vote of 244-188 by the House of Representatives.
He has also included a $275 billion tax cut within the plan, suggesting a move towards bipartisanship.
Currently, the $700 billion that was set aside last year for the economy is in review by the White House as to where it should be used.
Other actions taken by the President include a change in the quality of CIA interrogations to stricter regulation of tactics, and a meeting with U.S. military chiefs to discuss his plans to withdraw American troops within a period of 16 months.
“I think it will be relatively soon. I don’t want to set an exact date,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
The war in Iraq has been an immediate focus for Obama. He has assigned special envoys for Iraq and met for an interview with members of the Middle East press within his second day as President of the United States.
“I think that’s he’s done a good job keeping the people, keeping us feeling that there is hope for us in the future,” junior biblical studies major Rod Lopez said. “I think his whole message of hope is continuing even after he gets elected and I’m excited about that. There’s more sense of unity in this country.”
As for “change,” Obama still has a whole term to fulfill.
“I don’t know if anyone can really live up to that motto of change in America. I reckon he’s doing his best to live up to it,” junior English major Caleb Linton said. “I think it’s definitely a change from the last president.”
