BARACK OBAMA moved into the White House with limited Washington experience, but in his first 40 days he has worked with the speed of a seasoned political professional.
From getting a $787 billion stimulus plan passed to working to save the auto and financial industries to putting a budget together, as well as assembling a timeline to end the war in Iraq, a handful of big issues has kept the new president busy.
If working through the major issues weren’t enough, he has also spent time working on smaller issues.
For instance, last week the Obama administration said it will end the ban on photographing the coffins of slain soldiers as they are returned to the United States from combat zones.
People may remember in 2004 when someone placed one of these banned photos on the Internet. It showed soldiers saluting flag-covered coffins as they were about to be unloaded from a transport plane.
The photos were moving and showed the sobering impact of war.
If the media is allowed to show the sad departures and joyful welcomes home for living soldiers, it would only make sense that the media can also document the homecomings of fallen soldiers.
The ban was put in place by President George H.W. Bush during the Gulf War in 1991.
Supporters of the ban say it honors the families of fallen soldiers and that pictures of soldiers’ coffins might be used to create anti-war sentiment.
But the Obama administration has taken a positive step by letting the families decide whether they want the homecomings of their slain children, siblings and spouses to be documented.
The government shielding the public from the images of war is not right. Letting the families of fallen soldiers decide if the events can be photographed is a good compromise.
Christopher White Walker
Editor & Publisher
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
I certainly agree, this is one of the few positives that Mr. Obama has affected since he has taken office.
March 4, 2009 at 2:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
under_score (anonymous) says...
Yes I'm sure it was difficult for Obamination to push through his 787,000 million, roughly 1,400,000 million with interest, spending bill through the houses of congress led by Reid and Pelosi. But at least he has placed the most incompetent person in Washington in charge of making sure it's used wisely.
March 4, 2009 at 3:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
Yes, BO has certainly brought change to our nation. We are now using words and terms we never used before. Words like Socialism, Fascism, redistribution of wealth, bail out, tax evader, left-wing, liberal, foreclosure, underwater, plunge, and "Bubba Effect". For the first time in US history, the majority (51%) of Americans say they either don't trust, or fear, their government. For that reason, 1,550,000 guns were sold in the 30 days followng B. Hussein's election; a new one month record. Gun sales are up nationwide 29% so far this year compared to last.
The people are frightened and arming themselves against (1.) Armed conflict with a corrupt government [civil war]. (2.) Class warfare. (3.) Violent civil unrest and social disorder. (4.) Having their guns confiscated and constitutional rights infringed. For the first time in modern history, the “Bubba Effect” is spreading throughout America. The FBI recently reported that they have identified nearly 400 new “citizen militia” factions that have organized to protect America from its own government if necessary. That’s a sad commentary concerning our present administration, liberalism, and the overall hope for our nation’s future.
Mr. Obama, Nancy "The Nazi" Pelosi, Scary Harry Reid, Rank Barney Frank, and their ultra-liberal free-spending friends now in power are rapidly leading our once great nation to financial ruin and chaos.
You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
"When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
March 4, 2009 at 5:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
deluvly1 (anonymous) says...
I still remember a quote from a 3rd grade history book about in the early days of Jamestown an element of folks simply decided they didn't want to work anymore...the folks in charge said, "Fine, but we won't build your houses and we won't feed you."
"Jamestown loafers couldn't eat unless they helped supply the meat..."
How simple...and how far gone the sentiment. I hear that the president is fond of serving $100 a pound Kobe beef at his twice-weekly parties...gee, wish I could get invited...My family is luck to have hamburger one meal per day...you don't have to be some kind of a nut to believe that things are going to change and the change may be a violent one.
March 5, 2009 at 12:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )