Obama White House will have an Office of Urban Policy.
By on Nov 10th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Obama White House will have an Office of Urban Policy.
Valerie Jarrett, transition co-chair for President-elect Barack Obama, announced that the Obama administration would create a White House chief of urban policy. Since there are “so many different agencies that really can impact urban America,” Jarrett said, “to have one person whose job it is to really pull all of that together, is really a critical position.” Few recent presidents have had an urban background, as the Washington Post noted: “To find a nominee with as strong a city pedigree as Obama’s, you have to go back to New York Gov. Al Smith, the Democratic candidate in 1928, or even further, to Grover Cleveland, who had been mayor of Buffalo.”
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Obama White House will have an Office of Urban Policy.»
– - Can’t you just hear the Right squealing, “There goes Obama, expanding the federal government already.”
November 10th, 2008 at 6:03 pmLet them squeal all they want. They lost in a big way because their way failed big time. Their way didn’t work. It is time to change. If the reichwingers want to continue to say the electorate is center right after the ass whipping they took last week, they are the fools.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:11 pmThis is a little OT, but funny. Go over to redstate.com and read some of their articles. These guys are freaking out. One of them was about how bad MSNBC was (because of our partisans Matthews, Maddow and Olbermann) and saying that no one on the right should go on MSNBC shows except for Joe Scarborough’s show (they love him). Now, correct me if I am wrong but didn’t many on the right scream about people on the left refusing to go on Fox. I do believe that they said the people on the left were scared of Fox. I’d go there and challenge them on their hypocrisy, but it’s not worth the time it takes to register because you will be banned within 30 seconds of posting something that challenges them.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:18 pmrepugs shouldn’t say shit, they increased government and decreased our population.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:19 pmrepugs and anyone else who’s stupid enough to talk without knowing the meaning of urban should make a comment so we all can laugh. urban sounds so elitist.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:22 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
This is a little OT, but funny. Go over to redstate.com and read some of their articles. These guys are freaking out.
Maybe we should make a donation of Pampers to them, so they will quit getting the wet spots on their pants.
The poor babies…..
LMAO
November 10th, 2008 at 6:28 pmUh-oh. Here comes a department dedicated to serving the NOT-real Americans, as identified by the lovely Gov. Sarah Palin. I’m sure it’ll be seen by the ever-whining GOPers as a hand-out line.
Frightening to imagine how little — if any — attention and respect this idea would’ve received from a McCain White House.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:28 pmUrban America, isn’t that one of those places Palin called “Un-American”?
I am sooooo glad Obama kicked their butts.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:34 pmRepugs will squeal and poke at everything Obama does – we may as well get used to it.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:37 pmWith a 6% margin over McCain, Obama has received a “mandate” from the people to get “things done” as he puts it.
Obama has a lot of potential, personally and politically, he will be constrained by finances.
If he can extricate us from Iraq ($10 billion/month) that will begin to provide $$ for new projects. It won’t mean a reduction in spending – but it will indicate a change in priorities. The cities need help.
I think this is a grand idea. The repugs can nya, nya,nya to their heart’s content — it’s all so transparent that they care not for cities, nor urban residents, but only for their fat cat friends and political cronies.
Can I play midnight basketball in that office?
November 10th, 2008 at 6:42 pmBest piece of news I’ve heard since Tuesday. Well, maybe Wednesday, when I found out Gordon Smith was out. Still, really great news.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:48 pmShouldn’t HUD have something like that in place already? And if not, then why doesn’t have an office for urban policy? We need a smaller government, not an even more bloated version of the one that Bush will leave behind.
American Zen and the Art of Democracy Maintenance offers, I think, an important message that we ought not shelve our healthy cynicism just because the Obamaniacs are taking the reins of government. And I’m seeing a troubling lack of open-mindedness in the blogosphere since the day after the election.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:54 pmI can already hear the reichwingers crowing about Obama’s “socialist” policies.
Makes me wonder if these braindead Bush bootlickers really think they benefited from conservative crash-and-burn policies. I best most of them could really use a little “spreading the wealth around”.
None so blind as those who refuse to see, indeed…
November 10th, 2008 at 6:57 pmO.T., but refers back to a string below. Obama is signaling that Lieberman should be allowed to stay in the Dem caucus. I think he’s making a HUGE mistake. I understand his desire to be as non-partisan as possible in his new administration, but my god…if you come upon a rattlesnake, you don’t pick the dam* think up and take it home as a pet!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/10/obama-wants-lieberman-to_n_142731.html
November 10th, 2008 at 7:12 pmjurassicpork Says:
American Zen and the Art of Democracy Maintenance offers, I think, an important message that we ought not shelve our healthy cynicism just because the Obamaniacs are taking the reins of government. And I’m seeing a troubling lack of open-mindedness in the blogosphere since the day after the election.
I am troubled by people who want to label those who voted for Obama rather than McCain “Obamamaniacs”
That shows a troubling lack of open-mindedness and a certain pigheadedness by people who post that type of comment.
Also, you will not see a lack of diligence from me, watching what the new President Elect and the members of Congress actually do. I will be watching every bill that passes and every executive order that Obama signs, just as I have watched over the last 8 years. I will also speak out when I see them doing the wrong thing ( I do not trust Pelosi or Reid much at all ).
And you should get over Hillary losing….
November 10th, 2008 at 7:17 pmBuckie Boy Says:
Urban America, isn’t that one of those places Palin called “Un-American”?
Yes, it is. She just took out the “rba”.
November 10th, 2008 at 7:23 pmThat is very good news. I live in a large city, and I can see neglect and decay every day. City’s are a tremendous resource – their physical nature alone is much more efficient than the sprawling suburbs. It’s time that America’s cities – outside of the coastal regions – began to get the attention they deserve. SplendidMarbles
November 10th, 2008 at 8:02 pmPatty Says:
Uh-oh. Here comes a department dedicated to serving the NOT-real Americans, as identified by the lovely Gov. Sarah Palin. I’m sure it’ll be seen by the ever-whining GOPers as a hand-out line.
What she won’t admit is that her state is the biggest hand-out state in the union. They take in a lot more US dollars than they put into the kitty and that isn’t even including the pork that Ms. Palin claims Alaska doesn’t get.
November 10th, 2008 at 8:10 pmjurassicpork Says:
You immediately outed yourself as a right wing troll. I know you are disappointed and angry, but I have some advice for you. Learn to live with it because you lost and “we the people” have taken back our government. If you don’t learn to live with it, the next 8 years is going to be as bad for you as the last 8 have been for us.
November 10th, 2008 at 8:13 pm#impeachcheneythenbush Says:
O.T., but refers back to a string below. Obama is signaling that Lieberman should be allowed to stay in the Dem caucus. I think he’s making a HUGE mistake. I understand his desire to be as non-partisan as possible in his new administration, but my god…if you come upon a rattlesnake, you don’t pick the dam* think up and take it home as a pet!!
I’ve been going back and forth on this all day. My first reaction was the same as yours. Then when I started thinking about it I remembered the saying about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. I will agree that this is a good move on Obama’s part as long as LIEberman is stripped of his Chairmanship of the Homeland Security. Chairmanships are a reward for loyalty and no one can call Holy Joe loyal. But, if he wants to continue to caucus with the Democrats, that could be OK. What this move would do is to NOT make Obama seem vindictive. If Holy Joe chooses to jump ship because they took away this chairmanship, then that would be his choice. Obama would have made the magnanimous gesture.
Joe is just calling their bluff. He isn’t going to jump ship and become a Republican. First, he would have zero power ad second that would guarantee his losing his next bid for Senator.
Eve if he does jump ship, I think there will be enough Republicans willing to side with the Democrats (like Olympia Snow, Susan Collins, and Chuck Hagel who will frequently go along with the Democrats. Then there are all of the Republican Senators who will be running for re-election in 2010. They will have to think twice about being an obstructionist to the Obama Administration.
My preference would be that they kick his a s s out, but I do see some justification in keeping him on.
November 10th, 2008 at 8:22 pmCompare the Office of Urban Policy with the Office of Faith Based Initiatives or the Office of Lessons Larnred. Its so refreshing knowing that an adult will soon be occupying the White House.
November 10th, 2008 at 8:34 pmVAN JONES!?
November 10th, 2008 at 11:25 pmCan reparations for slavery be far away? It’s time you white slave owners pay up. The African-Americans have basically been running this country for centuries while you benefit.
November 11th, 2008 at 1:34 amSuperb idea, President Obama.
Now please, PLEASE don’t appoint some damn neocon to the post. I worry our new President thinks neocons are clever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aypMFARJW84
November 11th, 2008 at 5:34 amThe Privacy Center should stay private. Nobody cares!
November 11th, 2008 at 7:58 amThe Mayor of Newark, NJ would be a great pick to head that committee up. Cory Booker is one smart candidate that I think could do extremely well in this position.
November 11th, 2008 at 8:34 amarco Says:
Can reparations for slavery be far away? It’s time you white slave owners pay up. The African-Americans have basically been running this country for centuries while you benefit
WTF? Totally off topic and inane
November 11th, 2008 at 8:36 amI wish he’d find a place for Flava-flav in his cabinet.
Not that I want a drug addled crazy working for Obama, but the comic relief would be great, and the Wingnuts heads would spin so fast their head would pop off.
November 11th, 2008 at 9:13 amI am figuring Paul Mooney is the way to go on this. Just ask the black man.
November 11th, 2008 at 9:14 amMy only hope is that he chooses someone who is not a lawyer or politician. How about someone who actually knows something about cities. Like Maurice Cox, or another architect who has a real history of trying to make cities better.
November 11th, 2008 at 10:56 amI imagine that the NRA will lose their office in the White House! You all know the one right next to the Oval Office! What will the NRA do now, where will they go now? Out to one of McCains empty homes, or maybe move in with Hannity!
November 11th, 2008 at 11:29 amI’m not a pro-gun knuckle-dragging,inbred nitwit, but would like some sensible legistration all across the board! You don’t need to be dressed to the nines, looking like you just stepped out of a L L Bean Fall Catalog!
The last time I went hunting was March 8,1968, it was for the most dangerous animal on the face of the earth, with the playing field level on both sides! In otherwords if you haven’t hunted a human being you’re not a real hunter,that you can take to the bank!!
The nice thing is that conservatives can whine and complain all they want. It’s a free country and the people have spoken. If Bush’s 2004 win was a “mandate” and gave him great “political capital that he was going to spend,” Obama’s stunning landslide is certainly license to impliment any policy he has in mind. It’s about time we had an executive branch interested in the well-being and re-building of our cities>
November 11th, 2008 at 11:59 am