Dodging the Dodge

One of the ke talking points of Obama defenders is that his hands are essentially tied by an obstructive Republican party. But as all of us know, and George Bush, like Clinton before him, proved quite eloquently, is that the modern presidency affords the chief executive an enormous ability to change things through executive orders of one kind or another. So recewntly Jame Hamsher asked some progressive thinkers what Prince Barry could conceivably do with these powers if he were, in fact, the smart good-hearted liberal his reamining supporters insist he really is.

EU

Glenn Greenwald:

Announce that all War on Terror detainees in Guantanamo will be entitled to a speedy trial or be released, and all detainees seized outside of active war zones shall be entitled to prompt habeas corpus review.

Direct the DOJ that the “state secrets privilege” will no longer be used to shield executive conduct from allegations of lawbreaking and judicial review, but instead will be used only for its traditional purpose: to prevent specific secrets documents from being used in litigation.

Cease targeting American citizens for assassination who have had no due process and are not on an actual battlefield.

Instruct the Attorney General that the White House does not wish for any Bush-era War on Terror crimes to be immunized from the rule of law, including prosecution if warranted.

Refrain from prosecuting whistle-blowers and journalists who have exposed government corruption and lawbreaking except in cases where serious national security harm has resulted.

Announce a definitive timetable for full withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and scrap plans for a large State Department private army to be assembled to be stationed in Iraq for the indefinite future.

Order the State Department and Defense Department to cease awarding contracts to Blackwater/Xe based on past abuses and the dangers that relationship creates in the Muslim world

Alan Grayson:

End the wars, and bring the troops home. Even if Obama didn’t cut a dollar from the defense budget, all the money spent on the troops, and all of the money that they spend, would be spent in the United States, and that money would circulate in the United States, boosting aggregate demand and creating jobs.

Direct the Attorney General to prosecute foreclosure fraud and other white-collar crimes vigorously.

Determine that China is a “currency manipulator” (which is stating the obvious), and impose trade sanctions on China, to offset Chinese manipulation of the exchange rate.

Accelerate the award and performance of infrastructure projects and competitive grants to the full extent of FY11 appropriations now, instead of the usual end-of-September orgy of contract awards 11 months from now, to accelerate the spending of appropriated funds in order to create jobs.

Employ Government control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to: (a) finance and refinance loans at lower rates, and (b) temporarily eliminate the down payment requirement — if you can make the monthly payments on the house, then you can own it. (This is, in effect, how FHA mortgages have worked for years, but only at the low end of the market.)

Alan Grayson is a member of Congress from Florida’s 8th Congressional District