Obama’s First Week

Barack Obama has been President for exactly one week today. In the grand picture of a lifetime – or even a Presidency – seven days is not very many. However, in that time Obama has already made many controversial decisions. A week in review:

Tuesday, January 20 – Obama takes his oath of office and proclaims, “The question we ask today is not whether government is too big or too small, but whether it works.”

Thursday, January 22 – Obama orders Guantanamo Bay closed. He signed executive orders to shut down the terrorist detention center within a year and to ban harsh interrogations. “The message we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism, and we are going to do so vigilantly; we are going to do so effectively; and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals.”

Monday, January 26 – Obama tackles energy policy. He directed the Environmental Protection Agency to review a California application to regulate greenhouse gases. In addition, told the Department of Transportation to begin implementing fuel efficiency standards passed in 2007 but not implemented by the Bush administration.

Besides these bold moves, Obama has also been urging Congress to pass his $825 billion economic stimulus plan and begun planning for a troop withdraw in Iraq.

“What you have seen in the first week is rapid change and a resetting of our global agenda,” said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. “The president believes we can’t afford to continue what we are doing. We can’t afford to slow down.”

Posted in Performance Wire