After months of dreadful economic news and generalized feelings of being adrift and absent government, a new president and Administration seem to be almost in place, two months earlier that expected. And that, given the circumstances, can only be good.
As we get ready to open a new chapter in American history, more and more people find themselves struggling to survive and keep their heads afloat with record Americans filing for bankruptcy and defaulting on their credit card payments and other financial obligations. In the meantime, President Bush is entertaining himself traveling abroad to Peru to meet with the Presidents of the Asian Pacific presidents' bloc. Never mind he's a lame duck, it all indicates he is desperate to find a last minute legacy to hang on-- that means other than the messy war he leaves us behind and the financial mess we all find ourselves inmersed in, after years of failing (or refusing to) regulate the financial markets and institutions that led us where we are now.
In the meantime, much of the rumored double command or shadow presidency of Obama is practically gone, as it is more and more evident that Mr. Bush is all but absent; that is more absent than before.
On the Obama camp, it is more and more obvious that the president-elect will govern from the center, in between both isles. And it's not surprising, as anything other than that would mean Republican oposition and a waste of bullets in the middle of this financial war. Yet, we can already hear the left wing of the Democratic party already complaining that Obama is appointing too many Clinton-era operatives that are mostly identified with the centrist years of Bill Clinton's administration.
It is not hard to understand why Obama has appointed the professionals he has, such as former FED Chair Paul Volker or Larry Summers, who can be hardly considered liberal economists or a big spenders. Obama must work with Republicans and take actions that will hint markets he is serious about regaining confidence and rebuilding economic stability. trying untested policies and experimenting could be seriosuly dangerous and could push this country closer to financial abism.
Yet, one has to wonder if this cabinet, a mix bug of progressives and centrist potatoes will be able to share power in harmony and get along, without becoming a distraction to Obama who will be busy not only rescuing most Americans from financial disaster but who is also poised to deliver on big initiatives such as health care reforms and energy independence.
The question also remains what will the Democratic leadership in Congress will do with Bush, Cheney and Rumsfelf. Will they cave in to those who want to see this trio prosecuted and organize public hearings on issues like Iraq and torture or will they just let it go to focus on Oabama's large items' agenda?
There are some signs already that show that Reid and Pelosi are determined to move on the president-elect's agenda. One of those signals is the appointment of Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) to the House Committee on Energy andthe Environment, which meant the removal of Democratic Congressman Dingell, an old time ally of Detroit's big three. Not by coincidence, California's Waxman got appointed to a House Committee that is the sister committee to Sen. Boxer's Senate Committee on the Enviroment and Energy Policy, at the same time that California attempts to consolidate its lead on environmental policy nationwide. After all, everyone knows that as California goes so does the Nation.
Only two months are left to the official inauguration and much remains to be seen in terms of annoucements and policy initiatives, but one thing is clear: President Obama is already in charge and that can only be a good thing.
Hernan Molina
www.hernanmolina.com
dichosyhechos@gmail.com