Heritage on the inauguration of President Obama
January 22, 2009 | By Nathaniel Ward
Although conservatives ought to remain on their guard over the next four years, Heritage vice-president Mike Franc makes a case for cautious conservative optimism on National Review Online.
Just as only President Nixon could go to China, he suggests, perhaps only President Obama can tackle serious entitlement reform and foreign policy objectives. Perhaps "only a man with our new president's liberal pedigree will possess the sort of political capital required to tackle our nation's most pressing and foreseeable challenge," writes Franc.
On the economy, the new administration will have to face the coming spending tsunami as Baby Boomers increasingly qualify for the big three entitlement programs, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. President Obama will have to make the difficult choice between tax hikes, which may be politically harmful, and a real effort to rein in spending.
And on foreign policy and national security, Franc argues that "with intelligence briefings comes maturity." The campaign trail asks candidates to hold up high ideals, but the Oval Office demands prudence, and the President may even embrace a number of positions he derided as a candidate. "If and when he does, the mainstream media will revisit these issues in a more understanding way and begin to explain the tough trade-offs that are required to defend America's interests."
Heritage foreign policy expert Helle Dale puts the new presidency in historical perspective. Other new Presidents —Bush, Reagan, Nixon, and Truman — faced "raging storms, far more worthy of the name than the clouds under which Obama's presidency begins," says Dale.
She continues:
The world Obama inherits today is clearly complex, but thanks to the tireless efforts of his predecessor, far less dangerous than the impression created [in his inaugural address on Tuesday]. Indeed, Obama owes a debt of gratitude to Bush for the tough decisions he has taken to keep this country safe and the sacrifices he made in political capital and personal popularity to do so. Bush may be vilified, even booed by the crowd of Obama supporters on the Mall, but he kept each and every one of them safe from terrorist attacks for seven years…Obama of course questioned those very policies during the campaign and indeed in his speech [Tuesday], postulating a false dichotomy between our safety and our ideals.
Dale concludes that Obama obviously differs from Bush philosophically, but that "how far world events will allow the Obama foreign policy to diverge from that of the Bush years remains to be seen."
Meanwhile, on WorldNetDaily, former Congressman and Heritage distinguished fellow Ernest Istook discusses President Obama's unique position to end race-based victimhood.
Though Barack Obama's election was a watershed in many respects, "America's laws and regulations don't reflect that sense of accomplishment. They remain mired in 1960s thinking and prejudices about race," Istook pointed out.
Hard choices don't get any tougher than race relations and affirmative action. This certainly meets Obama's inaugural address standard of tackling long-avoided problems.
We have a chance at change for the better. For decades, a catchphrase has been, "If we can put a man on the moon, then why can't we ..." The new version will be, "If we can elect a black president, then why can't we ..."
If President Obama is willing to provide leadership of the right sort, we can heal many of America's racial tensions and still improve upward mobility for Americans of all races and backgrounds. Yes we can.
Finally, Heritage's Foundry blog linked to a humorous but very telling video clip demonstrating how conservative certain parts of Obama's speech sounded.
— David Talbot
Beach proposes 'stimulus' alternative to Congress
Heritage Foundation economist Bill Beach testified last week before the Economic Recovery Working Group on Capitol Hill about an alternative to the Left's big-government economic "stimulus" package.
Beach suggested an alternative to the Left's plan to spend $850 billion on economic recovery:
- Extend the 2001 and 2003 tax reductions for as long as possible -- at least through 2013 -- to prevent tax increases. Better yet, make the tax cuts permanent.
- Reduce tax rates on individuals, small businesses and corporations through 2013 by lowering the top rate by 10 percentage points and reducing rates by similar amounts for taxpayers with lower income levels.
This would give employers the incentive to invest money and create genuinely new jobs.
Heritage's Rob Bluey reports that "the hearing came a week after President-elect Barack Obama invited alternative suggestions for promoting economic growth."
» Read more about the case for a conservative stimulus on MyHeritage.org
Act now to secure your gift annuity rate
Hundreds of Heritage Foundation supporters of retirement age have established a charitable gift annuity with Heritage, which supports our work and gives you fixed annual income for life. But annuity rates are being lowered on February 1, so act now to secure the best possible rate.
» Find out more about charitable gift annuities and learn about your rate of income and other benefits. Or call Roxana Laing or Lori McNicoll in our Gift Planning Office at (800) 409-2003.
Remember, rates are being lowered soon. In order to receive the current, higher rate of income, your gift must be postmarked by January 31.
» Learn more about your gift annuity options and possible rates on MyHeritage.org
Other Heritage work of note
- Long time Heritage trustee and "doyenne of the modern conservative movement" Holly Coors passed away, leaving behind a rich legacy as "an elegant and inspiring advocate of traditional values and virtues," Heritage President Ed Feulner said in a statement released on Tuesday.
- Learn the facts about the military's detention of the enemy during wartime on a special Heritage Foundation website. The site explains "the legal authorities under-girding U.S. detention policy, from international law and the Geneva Conventions to Department of Defense directives and Army regulations and procedures, and explains how they fit together in practice as the U.S. wages the war on terrorism."
- Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) cited The Heritage Foundation on the floor of the House yesterday during a discussion of the foreclosure crisis. This is another example of how Heritage papers make it to lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle and carry weight when cited in Congress.
In other news
- According to a spokesman for the Iraqi Prime Minister, Iraq is willing to have U.S. troops withdraw before the end of 2011.
- Closing the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay "is more difficult than I think a lot of people realize," President Obama said last week. He added that "many" of the enemy combatants are "very dangerous." The fastest track to closing the camp will take over a year.
- The nominee for Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, apologized for failing to pay $34,000 in taxes between 2001 and 2004. The Senate Finance Committee voted 18-5 to approve Geithner's nomination, which now heads to the Senate floor.
- President Obama repealed a 2001 Executive Order that granted former presidents and vice-presidents the ability to keep documents secret long past the 12 years allowed by law. He admitted that this will tie even his own hands: "Information will not be withheld just because I say so. It will be withheld because a separate authority believes my request is well-grounded in the Constitution."
Coming up at Heritage
To attend these or any other events at Heritage please RSVP at Heritage's website. Or you can view these events live online. All times are Eastern.
- On Tuesday, January 27 at 10:00 a.m., a panel of experts will discuss U.S. foreign policy in the Caucasus region, particularly as it relates to the Russian-Ukrainian gas war.
- On Wednesday, January 28 at noon, author David Smick will discuss his book The World is Curved which picks up where Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat, offering an insider's tour through the private offices of central bankers, finance ministers, and even prime ministers.
Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation. David Talbot contributed to this report.
