Here are some joint suggestions from myself and (Kossack lurker TBA). It's time to get serious about what a Pres. Obama administration should be asking of the new veto-proof Congress. We feel that some of the Foreign Affairs issues are more amenable to immediate repair, being that they are so clear cut and fall to the Executive Branch to fix. The domestic agenda will be far more difficult to pass quickly, but needs to begin with sharp and vivid distinctions between the Dem and Rep points so that these get completed in the 1st term.
- Close Gitmo, Restore Habeus, end torture and rendition - all one act!
- Sign Kyoto or make a stiffer, new treaty.
- Reinvigorate the State dept. in its efforts to make our allies aware of our new direction.
- Rollback W's tax-cuts early! Switch/add cuts to 'unpatriotic' companies that outsource. Economic stimulus, job retraining, Income tax restructuring and tuition relief - all one act!
- Lay down FDR's Executive Order privileges from WW II. Something formal ending legitimacy of presidential signing statements.
- Redeploy troops in the wider Middle East theater, close some previously permanent bases (esp. on 'Holy Soil').
+++++++++++++ Extra Credit bonus points++++++++++++++
- Eventually send rested troops to Afghanistan to finish the real war.
- Begin to fill Federal Court vacancies.
- Outline the new Green 'WPA' projects that will rebuild aging infrastructure and wean us off fossil fuels.
- Begin the grand healthcare debate, with immediate reversal of non-negotiable Rx prices in the Medicare/Medicaid Bill.
I invite the community to reorder or add to this list as we see fit.