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Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Obama's First 20 Days

by Rhonda J Mangus | February 14, 2009 at 09:01 am

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American Thinker's Randall Hoven takes a look at President Obama's first 20 days in office.

Concentrating on actions rather than words Hoven provides, among other things, a look at Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda, with a titled twist:

January 21, Day One in office, or "Clean Government Day."

January 22, "Be Nice To Terrorists Day."

January 23, "Be Nice To Abortionists Day."

January 27, "Be Nice to Terrorist Lovers and Tax Cheats Day."

January 26, "Help the US Automobile Industry Go Broke Quicker Day."

January 28, "Bipartisan Schmipartisan Day."

January 29, "No Statute of Limitations on Anything Day."

January 30, "Payback the Unions and Keep Joe Busy Day."

February 3, "Being President is Hard Day."

February 4, "More Socialized Medicine Day."

February 5, "Community Organizing, Low-Flow Coffee-Makers and Trade-War Day."

February 6, "Be Even Nicer to Unions and Terrorists Day."

February 8, "Moderate Republicans, Not So Moderate Jihadis Day."

February 9, Day 20, or "Fear, Not Hope Day."

On the progress of the Democratic Congress:

Here is what the House did already in 2009:

Established January 2009 as "National Stalking Awareness Month."

Supported the ideals of "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week."

Established a redress process for individuals, such as suspected terrorists, wrongly delayed or prohibited from boarding a flight.

Reauthorized SCHIP.

Delayed digital TV.

Encouraged states to report to the feds information regarding people who die in the custody of state law enforcement agencies.

Hoven's final analysis:

I probably missed a few things, but I think you get the drift. Undo whatever Bush did. Expect appointees to obey the law, with a mulligan given for first-time offenses less than $128,000. Pay back Democratic special interests like unions, trial lawyers and Planned Parenthood. Define "bipartisanship" as inviting Republicans to lunch and telling them, "I won." Spend really, really huge amounts of other people's money. Make terrorism a law enforcement issue instead of a national defense issue. And watch terrorists and nuclear proliferators be released, from Pakistan to Yemen to Gitmo.

President Obama has lived up to my expectations.

I believe these first 20 days could best be summarized in the immortal words of Mark Steyn, who said, "We have nothing to hope for but hope itself."

(According to Hoven, "The dates given might not be exact, but close enough." The source for Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda was the White House.)

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Roy C

at 11:17 on February 14th, 2009

Obama promised bi-partisanship. Apparently Pelosi never got the memo. That bill was rammed through with the earmarks Obama said would never be, the pork he said he would cut, and without any consultation where he could have co-opted the republicans.

It spends money on green golf carts!

The bill was passed without anyone getting to read all of it, and without time for the public to comment on it, and, while the democrats got a summary, the republicans got nothing.

Sorry, this is not change. I wonder what is around the corner with this man who has no executive experience and is now Pelosi's go-fer.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 11:49 on February 14th, 2009

Thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation, Roy C! I've been reading several other articles on the President that leave me wondering too about "what is around the corner."

In another article by Terence P. Jeffrey in the Washington Times, Jeffrey's encourages a look at historical data in a piece entitled: "Obama's Doomsday talk a sham?". It appears it could very well be that he is "hyping it up"!

Roy C

at 12:09 on February 14th, 2009

Yes, he can hype!

politicians are by and large orators. That is their strength. They get elected on their strength, and their weakness is the actual part of being an executive. It is too nuts and bolts for them, but OK if they delegate well and supervise.

Obama has not delegated well. Pelosi and Reid just took over and we see the result. They are a blight on his administration's potential.

These criticisms of Obama are valid and the true believers in Obama have had to experience their first bout of cognitive dissonance. Most have lined up with their orthodoxy, but some are already beginning to chafe at the saddle of orthodoxy and the honeymoon is over.

Amy Judd

at 13:49 on February 14th, 2009

He's done so much already it seems!

Rhonda J Mangus

at 14:57 on February 14th, 2009

Amy, thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation! Two (of many):) to live by: "haste makes waste" and "delays are [always] necessary".

Roy C

at 14:38 on February 14th, 2009

My problem is not that he has done a lot but the way in which a lot has been done.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 14:59 on February 14th, 2009

Noted, Roy C! Thanks again for stopping by and commenting!

Paschen

at 07:32 on February 15th, 2009

It is a dangerous Statement Hoven makes here, some what bursting the Obama euphoria bubble?

Rhonda J Mangus

at 08:19 on February 15th, 2009

Paschen, thank you for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation. Hoven's statement may burst the "Obama euphoria bubble", but I also think it demonstrates that Hoven "did his homework".:)