More Stuff

First, the president's first orders of business:  Freezing the salary of his senior aides, and creating more transparency within government.  

 “Starting today,” Mr. Obama said, “every agency and department should know that this administration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold information, but those who seek to make it known."

Also, he shut down Guantanamo today.

Second, a response to our post yesterday (January 21) a quote from a January 20, NY Times Op-Ed (this mirrors some comments we got):

To hear most American leaders tell it, the Constitutional freedom of religion allows you to be a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Christian Scientist, a Sikh — well you get the idea. Basically, a member of any religion. But they never talk about people who do not participate in an organized religion, or are even — gasp! — atheists.
Until today. In talking about defending the American way of life in a frightening world, Mr. Obama said: “We know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.”

Third, my first (of many) personal email from President Obama.