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Barack Obama Signs Ethics Guide on First Day as President

by Rob Walker | January 21, 2009 at 10:45 am

381 views | 13 Recommendations | 2 comments

On his first day in office, US President Barack Obama met with his staff and signed executive orders that were in effect ethics guidelines. Among the first things ordered was an immediate pay freeze for any staff making over $100,000 a year.

Obama said he would impliment stricter rules on lobbying, broader access to the freedom of information act and more transparency in government.

"I will hold myself to a higher standard of openness," said Obama.

Obama will establish a third party who will decide if his request to keep information from the public is appropriate under the constitution

He spent the first 10 minutes of his presidency alone in the oval office, reading the note left by former President George W. Bush.

Among other things, Obama said he would issue a pay freeze for his senior staff.
During the campaign, Obama pledged that "no political appointees in an Obama-Biden administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointees will be able to lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration," according to BarackObama.com.

Not even 24 hours after the hearings for 6 men held at Guantanamo Bay ended, judges agreed to suspend several cases requested by Obama.

New US President Barack Obama has ordered the suspension of all military tribunals at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Obama has promised to close the facility, but analysts say that could take some time.

Later he announced new ethics rules and a pay freeze for White House staff.
Mr Obama and advisers are to discuss an $825bn rescue economic package - as well as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The president's first day in office has also been dominated by the controversial military trials of terror suspects at Guantanamo. Judges have already agreed to suspend several of the cases requested by Mr Obama.

US President Barack Obama, acting swiftly on his first full day in office, has summoned his economic team and war council to press ahead on plans for rescuing the American economy and withdrawing from Iraq.

Barack Obama has signed his first executive orders ahead of talks with his military and economic advisers on a packed first full day as US president.

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lefty_liberated

at 11:20 on January 21st, 2009

Love it.

Maireid Sullivan

at 15:53 on January 21st, 2009

This report is reassuring.

Millions around the world, like myself, are feeling the great relief, - and hope that this intelligent, elegant, strong, and informed man, President Obama (how nice to be able to say that!) will make serious changes.

Did you notice how Bush looked half-way through Obama's list of problems that need solutions in the usa? very telling - GWB is such a juvenile!