There seems to be some kind of weird event in Washington DC today.
When other countries change their government, there is usually a special parliament session, a press conference and some dinner arrangement.
But there is either demand for a royal anointment event for the person taking the job of a self proclaimed leader of the free world, or the show is needed to create authority that would otherwise be missing. Or maybe both?
Anyway.
The following is by Hannah K. O'Luthon as posted in a comment here.Please add your own criteria in the comments. Writes HKO'L:
In a few hours BHO will take the oath of office, and assume the burden of transforming hope into achievement.
To avoid both partisan adulation and factional disdain in discussing his presidency, it seems useful to propose a few benchmarks for judging of success or failure. Since events will certainly condition the new president's range of effective possibilities, it is clear specific administration goals may undergo recalibration in the face of unexpected obstacles or opportunities. Thus, while the benchmarks are intended to be sufficiently explicit as to permit evaluation of success or failure, that evaluation will itself be influenced by events, and should not be effected with draconian rigor.
Obama's much repeated vow to bring change to American polity will, thanks to his predecessor, have ample scope for implementation, but the following five fundamental criteria might provide an evaluative framework. The subheads represent specific items for evaluation.
Obviously, others will have differing or more specific criteria, so those cited below are not intended to be exhaustive. About a year from now it might, however, be interesting to measure performance against promise.
a. Explicit end of tolerance for torture; prosecution with due process for the officials accused.
b. FISA revisited; protection against invasion of privacy, TIA abandonned
c. End to persecution of (American) Moslem activists (not terrorists) Al-Arian, Maher Al Ahar, etc.,
d. Integrity of the election process
e. Elevation of political discourse between government and opposition
a. End occupation of Iraq
b. End war in Afghanistan
c. Talks with Iran given greater prominence
d. Begin a more balanced policy with respect to the Israel-Palestine issue
e. Rapprochement with "leftists" in Latin America, and Latin America in general
f. End of Militarization of Foreign Policy and beginning of retreat from imperial overreach;
g. Distancing from mercenaries, PMC's
g. Dialing down of overblown rhetoric on terrorism, "freedom", etc.
a. Preventing or mitigating failure of GM, Chrysler, Ford, and other major industrial concerns.
b. Preventing or mitigating the collapse of major financial institions
c. Job creation aiming at full employment, or at least reduced unemployment
d. Regulatory reform
e. Greater transparency in government contracts
f. Clean Energy initiatives
a. Major Health care reform
b. Educational opportunity for all
c. Women's issues and rights
d. Tax reform in favor of the middle class
e. Immigration un-demonized
f. End to air traveller regimentation and humiliation
a. Multilateral agreements (towards Kyoto II)
b. Green energy
c. Drug trafficking in U.S., and abuse of pharmaceuticals
d. Mileage and pollution standards (enforced)
e. Support for non-military research
