Monday, November 10, 2008

Being in the First 100 Days

When reading up on the "First 100 Days" of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, it seems frightening how today seems remarkably similar.

President's "First 100 Day" concentrated on "immediate relief," which along with the Congress passed these initiatives:

*Federal Emergency Relief Administration
*Civilian Conservation Corps
*Reconstruction Finance Corporation
*Tennessee Valley Authority
*Federal Trade Commission Board New Regulatory Powers
*Mortgage Relief to Millions of Farmers and Homeowners

Perhaps President-elect Obama's First 100 Days will include:

*Economic Stimulus Package
*Mortgage Relief to Homeowners
*New Banking Regulations
*Iraq Withdrawal Timeline
*Green Initiatives
*New Technological Initiatives

Here is one view of President Roosevelt's First 100 Days:

Congress was almost entirely compliant and gave the President everything he wanted. The Emergency Banking Bill, which strengthened, reorganized and reopened the most solvent banks, was passed overwhelmingly by Congress with little debate.

On March 12, Roosevelt announced that the soundest banks would reopen. On March 13, deposits at those banks exceeded withdrawals -- a tremendous relief to a worried nation. "Capitalism was saved in eight days," said Raymond Moley, a member of the President's Brain Trust.


What do you think President-elect Obama's First 100 Days should include? Considering the time, should this notion of the First 100 Days be banished completely in order to concentrate on longterm initiatives? In haste did the congress act too hurridely to enact some legislation? I am personally for acting with "deliberate haste, doing what is absolute necessary, such as overseeing the $750 billion dollar rescue package.

We have many things to do. Let's do them right.

2 comments:

JOHN O'LEARY said...

Judith, I think Barack is going to need some help. Have you thought of re-locating to inside the Beltway to lend a hand? :-)

Judith Ellis said...

John - What a pleasure that would be!