What I expect from Obama's Presidency (no-brainers)

Cross-posted to Swords Crossed

Some issues are big and scary and complicated (like war and our financial system), and I can understand how I'm not really in a position to specify expectations for how the government will address them.

However, some other issues are so straightforward (even if they aren't 'big') that I can confidently say that if the new Democratic government does not address these issues, then they will be guilty of negligent government.

I'm sure that many issues fall into this category, but here's are two issues that I expect the new government to take care of in fairly short order:

Medicalize marijuana: Marijuana should be recategorized from Schedule I to Schedule II, so that it is no more restricted in its use than Coca or Opium. This would not allow Americans to buy raw marijuana, but it would make it easier for drug companies to investigate and commercialize marijuana extracts and their derivatives. (I intend to write a full-length argument for rescheduling in the near future)
Recognize civil unions at the Federal level: According to Glenn Greenwald, Section 3 of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (1996) "prohibits the Federal Government and all federal agencies from extending any federal marriage-based benefits, privileges and rights to same-sex couples", causing great hardship on same-sex couples. This needs to end, and Greenwald makes a good case for this being a political no-brainer, let alone a moral no-brainer.

I agree.

Obama should make this a priority. I don't know if reviving the idea of a balanced budget amendment matters, but this is something that Obama could work toward. The best way (in my opinion) is to heavily cut the military budget, close military bases around the world, bring our troops home from Iraq, end imperialist foreign policy, etc. However, I don't see Obama doing any of that. But perhaps he should make a balanced budget a goal (at the very least) by the end of his 1st term. Tax increases on the very rich (which I support) could also aid this effort.

I would like to see the budget structurally balanced (averaged over expected variation for 10 years or so), but this is one of those issues that could be almost intractable for the new government...especially since we are currently in a downturn.

As you pointed out, balancing the budget would require a lot of other policies to be changed...so it isn't going to be easy.

Still, I hope the Obama administration makes serious moves to restoring some fiscal responsibility in this country -- we've been living on debt for too long. The federal debt is just a small part of our overall debt, but it is prominent.

p.s. in the absence of a progressive tax structure, government debt (and associated interest payments) seems like a transfer of wealth from the poor (who own few bonds) to the rich (who own most of the bonds)

I haven't seen signals that Obama Admin is going to be proactive on this...

These expectations are based on the professed values of the Democrats (inclusion, compassion), public sentiment, and general reasonableness as "good government" issues. The "expectation" is more normative than predictive.

Still, there's:

1) Mounting evidence of medical value for marijuana

2) Tension between state and federal laws over marijuana

3) General sympathy among Democratic voters for the medical marijuana movement.

Update: I also think that this is a good issue for the Democrats to pick a fight over. The Democrats could offer this bill, and then let it stall due to Republican opposition (extending the olive branch and such) -- this would then permit a PR campaign painting the Republicans and extremist/fanatical.

I would love to see these two issues addressed. However, I believe both issues will be waaay on the bottom of Obama's "TO DO LIST".

First, these would be Congressional initiatives, so all that Obama would have to do is sign the law.

Even from the legislator's perspective, I think these would be pretty simple, since they don't require the government to design any new agencies or administrative structures. We already have a drug scheduling system, so we are just reassigning one drug from schedule I to schedule II. Likewise, repeal of DOMA just eliminates a law. It does not demand any activity from the government.

The final issue is just getting the vote for these reforms. It shouldn't be hard to get a majority, on the basis that these are moderate, good-government reforms with broad support among Democrats. The Dems may be willing to let the medical marijuana bill die in the interests of "consensus", allowing them to say "look how reasonable legislation gets killed when we try to include the Republicans"; but the second (being an issue of inclusion) should be driven through on partisan lines regardless of consensus.

Barack Obama is the new president of the United States of America. It is for sure that lots of expectations are waiting for him. Obama has promised the U.S. a lot of things like lower taxes for the middle class, putting a timeline on the war in Iraq, and trimming the federal budget “line by line.” What many Americans don’t realize is that Obama has also supported the elimination of the payday loan industry. Obama thinks doing away with the payday loan industry will protect low-income, and often minority, families from being victimized by predatory lenders. However, getting rid of the payday loans is a violation of our financial freedom. Maybe Obama will give America what it needs, but taking away our financial freedom isn’t a great start to creating positive change.