Ten Day/Point Update

If this columnist is to be believed, Obama has already completed one of the key changes we expect from him, ending what we like to call GWOT:

U.S. President Barack Obama reaffirmed the rule of law over U.S. foreign policy, dialing back a number of the expansive and, to many experts, illegal powers invested in the executive branch during the Bush administration. Obama prohibited the CIA from maintaining secret prisons and nullified every legal opinion regarding interrogations issued by any executive-branch lawyer since the 9/11 attacks. In addition, Obama banned the practices of torture and rendition and called for new rules regarding the treatment and legal situation of detainees -- effectively ending the Bush-era "war on terror." get link article by Dana Priest, Bush's 'War' On Terror Comes to a Sudden End http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/22/AR2009012203929.html(WaPo?)

Personally, I think it's too early to declare that Mission Accomplished; however, it is undeniable progress.

Here's a quick read on my 10-point program, and how Obama's doing:

1.. Get control of climate-changing gases. Expecting progress, too early .
2. Preserve our biosphere. Same, TETS. (Too Early to Say.)
3. Rebuild our relations with the world. Already well underway. Fortunately, the world is well-disposed for its part.
4. Visualize our children’s / grandchildren’s society, and the implications of that vision. Somewhat, but mostly lip service thus far.
5. Reform the UN Charter. Second-term business.
6. Get control of armaments. See previous comment.
7. Establish clearly the political dimensions of privacy and of permissible government intrusions into it. This will be a running battle, nuanced and complex, with my expectations largely favorable at this point. Obama was a Con Law professor at U of Chicago: this suggests a thinking-man's approach to these issues, but not a clearcut ideological one.
8. Provide health care to our people. Not underway yet, and Daschle running into thickets on confirmation isn't such a good sign, either.
9. Electoral reform. Actually, I may be looking for help on this one from the wrong party--Obama was more harmful to the cause then helpful in his campaign, and why would he want to change a system he totally outfoxed last year?
10. End the "War on Drugs" (or at least give it some focus on the more harmful ones). Obama would like to postpone this one until the second term, but I don't think he will be able to do so. It will keep popping up until he takes some clear position.