What Obama has already done for the country

[Original Poster]

Undoes Bush's bad policies In the nascent days of his administration, the new president has used his executive authority to freeze not-yet-finalized Bush-era federal regulations, stopped plans to ease air pollution standards, and established a more open public-records policy. His top staffers' salaries have been frozen, and stricter lobbyist and gift rules have been issued. Obama ordered the detainee camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, closed within a year. ...he signed the orders to close the controversial detainee camp and secret overseas prisons and ban the use of torture during detainee questioning. Abortion rights activists are expecting the new president to reverse the so-called Mexico City policy, known as the "global gag rule," that restricts U.S. foreign aid to organizations — including the U.N. Population Fund — that "promote or perform" abortions. And the administration is said to be looking at issuing an order that would stop a last-minute Bush proposal that would allow the expansion of offshore drilling in areas that have been previously banned, and to block the Interior Department's plan to develop oil shale fields largely found in Utah. Shutters CIA prisons President Barack Obama will close a secret network of CIA prisons immediately.

[Universal Mind]

Let's see what actually ends up happening. I am not going to make any literal bets with money. I could be wrong. But I "bet" Guantanamo is still open and we still have troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan in two years. Be on lookout for, "Something suddenly came up." Clinton and Bush 41 pulled some outrageous promise breaks with that excuse. I have become a major cynic in regard to politicians, especially Republicrats.

[Original Poster]

Good point, but I'm just trying to balance it out because Fox News has been saying things...

[Zera]

Obama has not said he will end "the war on terror" any time soon, has he? (Like Radiohead said, I might be wrong)

[Abra]

Still waiting on stem cell research and alternative energy legislation.

[ChrissyMaria]

You guys do know you can ask policy questions on his new whitehouse.gov site, you can ask anything and leave comments or complaints...he wants to know what he is doing wrong ala JFK, I think its useful for him to hear our complaints or comments. I know I'm going to write questioning his stance on the patriot act I and II and the war on drugs. I am however impressed so far by what he has done, guantanamo will close in 300 days or so, the detainees will be transfered to federal prisons and given habeus corpus, torturing prisoners only gives more fuel to the terrorism fire, treating them humanely will ensure our victory. Now, I will wait and see what happens with iraq and the war on terror, he actually doesn't call it the war on terror anymore, I think he has chosen to abandon that title in search of a less engaging title.

[Half/Dreaming]

Look, all I know is the guy is sending me to Afghanistan. Beyond that, I really don't care.

[Invader]

he actually doesn't call it the war on terror anymore, I think he has chosen to abandon that title in search of a less engaging title. Aye, being that it's customary to release POWs at the end of any war, it makes sense that Bush gave this war a name that could ensure it lasted virtually for as long as humans are on earth.

[tkdyo]

treating them humanely will ensure our victory. I agree with everything you wrote except this...When they already mainly care about dieing in an explosion...I doubt doing this is going to change their minds very much. Our answer lies in truly helping the countries there to recover (read not force them to rebuild a certain way), and them leave them be with their legislation in my eyes.

[Zera]

Aye, being that it's customary to release POWs at the end of any war, it makes sense that Bush gave this war a name that could ensure it lasted virtually for as long as humans are on earth. Yeah, haha, old Mr. Bush gave it a title that could get him to shoot his guns as long as he wanted. And tkdyo, not every tortured muslim in prision cares about exploding. Most of the high profile leaders probably care very little about having their guts out of their bodies. And I don't think that many countries would actually want US help in any way...they always have interests to meet. Leave that to the UN and the Red Cross, they're a bit safer methinks.

[ChrissyMaria]

I agree with everything you wrote except this...When they already mainly care about dieing in an explosion...I doubt doing this is going to change their minds very much. Our answer lies in truly helping the countries there to recover (read not force them to rebuild a certain way), and them leave them be with their legislation in my eyes. I disagree, our treating them like dirt gives them a reason to recruit more terrorists, if we don't go by our rule of law, we are hypocrits, and we incite more hate, we must be civil...and prove that they are the barbarians, then countries would flock to us with help. But yes, leaving them to rule their land is also very important....and what do you mean half dreaming? send you to afghanistan why?

[Elwood]

Where are the residents of Guantanamo Bay go now? I hope they're freed to go spread their peace loving religion!!!! And darn those people who want to drill develop new ways to decrease gas prices!!! I can believe the ways liberal mentalities work. Bush was a pretty bad president, but if Obama keeps this shit up hes gonna spark a fire in America that only a civil war will squelch. I had some high hope for Barrack, I really thought he wouldn't do these types of things. Please Mr.Obama, dont fuck up this country any worse than it is.

[Zera]

Where are the residents of Guantanamo Bay go now? I hope they're freed to go spread their peace loving religion!!!! And darn those people who want to drill develop new ways to decrease gas prices!!! I can believe the ways liberal mentalities work. Bush was a pretty bad president, but if Obama keeps this shit up hes gonna spark a fire in America that only a civil war will squelch. I had some high hope for Barrack, I really thought he wouldn't do these types of things. Please Mr.Obama, dont fuck up this country any worse than it is. I can't believe the way your mentality works. I'm sorry but you're fairly naive if you think Guantanamo prisioners are going to just go back to their respective countries. Of course they're not going to be freed. Guantanamo, which is quite an inhumane place to be, will be closed, and its prisioners will be transferred to other prisions, just not that one. I could never get the hang of conservatives...you guys keep convincing me that all that is on your mind are your gas prices. President Bush cared very much about them, why don't you vote him again?

[Alric]

They will just be transfered to the secrets prisons no one knows about. He said he was going to close the other secret prisons but how will we know? They are secret after all.

[Elwood]

I am NOT, i repeat NOT, a republican. I hate politics with all my fucking heart, but its part our lives so I have to be part of IT. And you know what else is inhumane? The fucking prisoners in Guantanamo Bay!!!!!!! They didnt just decide, "Hey, guys come here, listen to me... We're gonna take a bunch of random prisoners and put them in a specialty prison for no god damned reason, what do ya think?" That didnt fucking happen! They are there for a reason! They are psychopathic terrorists who want to murder innocent people God damnit!!!! That should be enough to piss you off. But untill one of your relatives gets killed for no reason, your going to have an ignorant opinion on this subject.

[Elwood]

They will just be transfered to the secrets prisons no one knows about. He said he was going to close the other secret prisons but how will we know? They are secret after all. OR, they'll be pardoned and sent home. I hope fucking not, but its on the horizon.

[Universal Mind]

Torturing terrorists has its problems. I don't support the legality of it. However, if we have to secretly torture a few to prevent cities from being blown up, then so be it. Suppose your family's city is possibly going to be blown up and you have a prisoner that knows the details of the plan. Don't tell me you are not going to do what it takes to get the details out of him. I am going to have a butcher knife up his ass and his face in an ant bed. I think you would too. Nobody is above it. In other words, torture should not be technically legal, but if it happens sometimes any way, I understand. Also, the first mother fuckers I am going to bitch about when it comes to the situation are not the government employees who are trying to keep me alive. The people in the situation I despise with everything in me are the terrorists who are trying to kill me and people I care about. Those terrorists are far more evil than those who twist their arms to find out who they are trying to blow up and how. Right????? The far left does not put too much effort into bitching about the terrorists. That has always puzzled me. Don't forget who, at the end of the day, is on your side and who has dedicated his life to destroying everybody you have ever loved.

[Specialis Sapientia]

Elwood... Who told you that ALL the prisoners in Guantanamo were terroists? Your government? They have NO evidence on most of them, 70 % of them will be set free by a court.

[Zera]

Elwood... They have NO evidence on most of them, 70 % of them will be set free by a court. I'm sorry, but do you have a source?

[ChrissyMaria]

Torturing terrorists has its problems. I don't support the legality of it. However, if we have to secretly torture a few to prevent cities from being blown up, then so be it. Suppose your family's city is possibly going to be blown up and you have a prisoner that knows the details of the plan. Don't tell me you are not going to do what it takes to get the details out of him. I am going to have a butcher knife up his ass and his face in an ant bed. I think you would too. Nobody is above it. In other words, torture should not be technically legal, but if it happens sometimes any way, I understand. I think thats just a hypothetical situation and fearmongering to scare us into blindly accepting torture, a tool which goes against everything this nation has stood for, for the past 2 centuries america stood for justice and human rights, to treat all soldiers of all wars equally under the united states constitution and under the geneva conventions, which is international law. Torture is wrong IN ANY CASE WHAT SO EVER, I don't care if you have the devil himself in prison, torture is not humane, not right and not something the united states believes in, I cannot believe americans actually accept torture into our doctrine, this is disgusting and un-american and wrong. This idea of torture will destroy the very fabric of what makes america right. America should not torture anyone for any reason, end of discussion, no debate necessary. If you support torture, move to North Korea and praise that brutal dictator.

[Xei]

I am NOT, i repeat NOT, a republican. I hate politics with all my fucking heart, but its part our lives so I have to be part of IT. And you know what else is inhumane? The fucking prisoners in Guantanamo Bay!!!!!!! They didnt just decide, "Hey, guys come here, listen to me... We're gonna take a bunch of random prisoners and put them in a specialty prison for no god damned reason, what do ya think?" That didnt fucking happen! They are there for a reason! They are psychopathic terrorists who want to murder innocent people God damnit!!!! That should be enough to piss you off. But untill one of your relatives gets killed for no reason, your going to have an ignorant opinion on this subject. Your concept of justice is medieval.

[ChrissyMaria]

Never allow these angry nuts to hold any office of justice or command of any prison dear god please.

[Universal Mind]

I think thats just a hypothetical situation and fearmongering to scare us into blindly accepting torture, a tool which goes against everything this nation has stood for, for the past 2 centuries america stood for justice and human rights, to treat all soldiers of all wars equally under the united states constitution and under the geneva conventions, which is international law. Torture is wrong IN ANY CASE WHAT SO EVER, I don't care if you have the devil himself in prison, torture is not humane, not right and not something the united states believes in, I cannot believe americans actually accept torture into our doctrine, this is disgusting and un-american and wrong. This idea of torture will destroy the very fabric of what makes america right. America should not torture anyone for any reason, end of discussion, no debate necessary. If you support torture, move to North Korea and praise that brutal dictator. So, if you have a hold of somebody who knows where your mother is being held captive and about to be killed, specifically how are you going to get the information you need out of the scum bag? Please be as specific as you can. Everybody else is invited to answer that too.

[ChrissyMaria]

So, if you have a hold of somebody who knows where your mother is being held captive and about to be killed, specifically how are you going to get the information you need out of the scum bag? Please be as specific as you can. I've said it 1 billion times and I will AGAIN, ya know, so it sinks in maybe? I would go by the book to get information out, like any other suspect in the entire fucking universe, the rules apply TO EVERY SINGLE BREATHING HUMAN BEING AND NO EXCEPTIONS. Understand? America DOESN'T TORTURE. And neither do I, nor do I condone it nor will I ever condone it under any circumstances. If she was about to be killed anyway, what difference would it make how long it takes to get the information out? she would be dead reguardless of how quickly the information was taken, so going by the book would be the best thing to do.

[Universal Mind]

I've said it 1 billion times and I will AGAIN, ya know, SO IT SINKS IN MAYBE? I would go by the book to get information out, like any other suspect in the entire fucking universe, the rules apply TO EVERY SINGLE BREATHING HUMAN BEING AND NO EXCEPTIONS. Understand? America DOESN'T TORTURE. No, I don't understand. Your answer is extremely vague. I want specifics. WHAT WOULD YOU DO????????? Then please tell me what should be done to Al Qaeda leaders when a city is about to be nuked. I really want to understand this. If I am in charge, a butcher knife is going up his ass and his face is going into an ant bed. The city is more important than that piece of shit. Fuck him.