A series of memos to President-elect Obama identifying policy areas where his words line up with our vision.
Seeking common ground, The Heritage Foundation is reaching out to President-elect Barack Obama with specially designed policy memos on subjects where his words line up with our vision of how to solve the most critical issues facing America. Each entry in the series, titled “Change We Believe In: Memos to President-elect Obama,” will cite the incoming president’s own words as a starting point for potential agreement and necessary follow-through.
"I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman."Defending Marriage: A Memo to President-elect ObamaPresident-elect Obama, you have stated on more than one occasion that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman. You have also explained that you do not favor same-sex marriage... | |
"[C]hildren living with single mothers are five times more likely to be poor than children in two-parent households. Children in single-parent homes are also more likely to drop out of school and become teen parents, even when income is factored out. And the evidence suggests that on average, children who live with their biological mother and father do better than those who live in stepfamilies or with cohabiting partners.... In light of these facts, policies that strengthen marriage for those who choose it and that discourage unintended births outside of marriage are sensible goals to pursue."Reducing Poverty by Revitalizing Marriage in Low-Income Communities: A Memo to President-elect ObamaPresident-elect Obama, the collapse of marriage is the most important social problem facing the nation. When the War on Poverty began in the 1960s, 7 percent of U.S. children were born outside of marriage. Today, the number is 38 percent. Among blacks, it is 69 percent. You are in a unique position to reverse this alarming trend.... | |
"Much of our regulatory apparatus was invented in the 1930s.... [O]ur existing patchwork of federal and state regulation is not sufficient to provide the rules of the road in a 21st century economy."Reforming Financial Regulation: A Memo to President-elect ObamaPresident-elect Obama, during the campaign, you recognized the need to update America's outdated regulatory framework to meet the needs of the 21st century. You laid out principles for a revised regulatory system, specifically criticizing the "balkanized framework of overlapping and competing regulatory agencies," and called for a "more streamlined system of oversight." You also noted that "details of these changes should be developed only after adequate analysis and public debate."... | |
"Well, Tom, we're going to have to take on entitlements, and I think we've got to do it quickly. We're going to have a lot of work to do, so I can't guarantee that we're going to do it in the next two years, but I'd like to do it in my first term as president...."How to Reform Entitlement Spending: A Memo to President-elect ObamaPresident-elect Obama, you based much of your presidential campaign on the promise of a better future for all Americans. A better future must be one in which Americans have the financial freedom to provide for themselves and their families. Yet this future is currently endangered by a Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid system that is set to drown future generations in taxes and debt... | |
"[I]t is important that we don't provide veto power to the United Nations or anyone else in acting in our interests."Reforms Needed for a More Effective United Nations: A Memo to President-elect ObamaPresident-elect Obama, while we may disagree with your view that the United Nations is "indispensable," we do agree that it is imperfect and in need of substantial reform. We also believe that, as President, you should never give the U.N. a veto over American action to protect American national interests... |
"As President, I will...work every day to ensure that this country has a criminal justice system that inspires trust and confidence in every American, regardless of age, or race, or background."Enacting Principled, Nonpartisan Criminal-Law Reform: A Memo to President-elect ObamaPresident-elect Obama, during your campaign, you promised to improve the administration of criminal justice for all Americans without limitation. This promise is vital because criminal punishment is the greatest power that government routinely uses against its own people. Every expansion of the federal criminal law beyond its proper bounds, and every unjust federal criminal offense, is an exercise of raw governmental power that undermines Americans' trust and confidence in the justice system... | |
"NATO stands as an example of how the United States can advance American national security--and the security of the world--through a strong alliance rooted in shared responsibility and shared values. NATO remains a vital asset in America's efforts to anchor democracy and stability in Europe and to defend our interests and values all over the world."Strengthening NATO: Advice for ObamaPresident-elect Obama, during the presidential election campaign, you highlighted NATO as a valuable global partnership, and you have repeatedly made statements in support of NATO enlargement. You have called on Europe to commit more troops and resources to the NATO mission in Afghanistan and have also stated repeatedly that Georgia should receive NATO's Membership Action Plan. Your recent appointment of former NATO commander General James Jones as your national security adviser brings his considerable commitment to the Alliance to your security team... | |
"Our Constitution places the ownership of private property at the very heart of our system of liberty.... The result of this business culture has been a prosperity that's unmatched in human history.... Our greatest asset has been our system of social organization, a system that for generations has encouraged constant innovation, individual initiative and the efficient allocation of resources."Protecting Property Rights to Preserve Freedom and Prosperity: A Memo to President-elect ObamaPresident-elect Obama, you have been a strong and eloquent defender of property rights and the rule of law, recognizing that they undergird Americans' freedoms and protect us from unjust government actions. These protections may be most important to those of modest means, who are the disproportionate victims of government takings of property. As explained by the NAACP and other civil rights leaders, the poor are also affected more profoundly by takings that upset their communities and ways of life... | |
"Barack Obama believes we need a business and regulatory landscape in which entrepreneurs and small businesses can thrive, start-ups can launch, and all enterprises can compete effectively while investors and consumers are protected against bad actors that cross the line..."Promoting the General Welfare Through Civil Justice Reform: Advice for ObamaPresident-elect Obama, you argued forcefully as a candidate that we need a regulatory and business landscape in which businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors can thrive and consumers are protected. You vowed to take action to make America's civil justice system work for all Americans... | |
"I have no illusions about North Korea, and we must be firm and unyielding in our commitment to a non-nuclear Korean peninsula..."Securing U.S. Objectives in North Korea: Advice for ObamaPresident-elect Obama, during the campaign you stressed the need for "sustained, direct, and aggressive diplomacy" with North Korea in order to achieve "the complete and verifiable elimination of all of North Korea's nuclear weapons programs, as well as its past proliferation activities, including with Syria." When North Korea provided data on its nuclear weapons programs, you stated that… |
"And I will make it a top priority in my first year as President not only because we have an obligation to secure our borders and get control of what comes in and out of our country."Fixing Border Security and ImmigrationPresident-elect Obama, we applaud your commitment to secure our nation's borders, but securing our borders is simply one step toward protecting America and fixing our broken immigration system. Your statement acknowledges that those who come into our country illegally have broken the law, so you should ensure that immigrants brought "out of the shadows" are not granted amnesty but are instead required to return to their home country with the opportunity to apply for legal entry as lawful visitors, temporary workers, or legal residents at a later date... |
"But we also have to help make the case that the biggest threat to Pakistan right now is not India. It's actually militants within their own borders."Stiffening Pakistan's Resolve Against TerrorismPresident-elect Obama, developing an effective policy toward Pakistan will be one of the most immediate challenges facing your Administration. During the campaign, you rightly pledged to support Pakistan's nascent democratic government and to convince the military establishment to shift its focus away from India and toward militants within Pakistan's own borders that threaten to destabilize the country... |
"I'm cutting more than I'm spending so that it will be a net spending cut..."Fulfilling Your Budget Reform Promise of a Net Spending CutPresident-elect Obama, you campaigned on fiscal discipline and the need to make tough choices. Although your budget blueprint specifies large new spending hikes, you also promised a cumulative "net spending cut"... |
"Secularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering into the public square..."Protecting and Strengthening Religious FreedomPresident-elect Obama, you spoke truthfully when you said that "[o]ur law is by definition a codification of morality, much of it grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition." That being the case, it is, as you note, a "practical absurdity" to expect Americans not to "inject their 'personal morality' into public policy debates." We agree with you that "[s]ecularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering into the public square.” |
"We should work to include countries like Poland that are members of both the EU and NATO into the Visa Waiver Program."Strengthening the Visa Waiver ProgramPresident-elect Obama, your comments on the Senate floor regarding the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) demonstrate that you recognize the program’s substantial public diplomacy benefits. The VWP has undergone tremendous changes since its inception and remains a vital tool for improving America’s image around the globe. Countries such as Bulgaria, for example, have commented that membership is considered a clear sign of America’s trust... |
"I believe in the need for increased oil production. We're going to have to explore new ways to get more oil, and that include offshore drilling."Making Domestic Energy AffordablePresident-elect Obama, throughout the campaign, you pledged to find ways to provide relief for the rising energy prices that affect millions of American households and businesses. This was a leading issue for voters, especially during the summer when gasoline exceeded $4.00 a gallon. Though gasoline prices have since plummeted in the global economic downturn, this respite will only be temporary unless you take strong steps now. The nation also faces continued increases in electricity costs and even the possibly of shortages and rolling blackouts, and you should take steps to ensure that new electric generation can meet the nation’s need for power... |
"We need a new vision for a 21st century education--one where we aren't just supporting existing schools, but spurring innovation; where we're not just investing more money, but demanding more reform..."Transforming and Improving American EducationPresident-elect Obama, your comments during the campaign show that you recognize the urgent need to transform and improve American education for the 21st century. American students’ reading scores have remained relatively flat since 1970. In 2007, 33 percent of fourth graders and 26 percent of eighth graders scored “below basic” in reading. Millions of children are not receiving a quality education in American schools. In many of the nation’s largest cities, less than half of all children are graduating high school. Nationally, on both test scores and graduation rates, an achievement gap still separates disadvantaged and ethnic minority children from their affluent and non-minority peers... |
"In a world with nuclear weapons, America must continue efforts to defend against the mass destruction of its citizens and our allies."Moving Forward with Ballistic Missile DefensePresident-elect Obama, during the campaign you said you were committed to protecting the United States and its allies against attacks that employ weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This commitment extends to fielding defenses against such attacks that are delivered by ballistic missile systems. Your pledge is in keeping with the Bush Administration’s policy, moving the U.S. away from the Cold War strategy of relying almost exclusively on large-scale retaliatory threats, including nuclear weapons, to deter attacks. The American people should welcome this continuity because, first and foremost, they want to be protected. |
"If you don’t have health insurance, you’ll be able to get the same kind of health insurance Members of Congress get for themselves."Ensuring Access to Affordable Health InsurancePresident-elect Obama, during the campaign you pledged to build a health care system in which Americans can be assured of access to affordable health insurance. You guaranteed Americans who already have insurance that nothing would change except that their coverage would be less expensive. You pointed to the health system that Members of Congress have as your model for expanding coverage. And you agreed that choice of doctor and care is a basic principle. These laudable themes struck a chord with Americans... |
"We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon... And I will do everything that's required to prevent it."Yes, a Nuclear Iran Is UnacceptablePresident-elect Obama, you are right that the United States cannot allow Iran to attain a nuclear weapon. Your statement during the second presidential debate indicates that you appreciate the unacceptable dangers posed by a nuclear-capable Iran. But statements like the following indicate a lack of understanding about the past record of failed attempts to negotiate with Iran... |
"I'll eliminate capital gains taxes for start-ups and small businesses, the engines of our job creation."Cutting Taxes to Promote Growth and Restore FairnessPresident-elect Obama, a centerpiece of your campaign was your pledge to cut taxes for 95 percent of American workers. Middle-class voters, especially, connected strongly with this pledge and expect their taxes to decline. Tax cuts are one key way to strengthen the economy for both the short term and long term, creating jobs and increasing wages. Targeting families, workers, and small businesses is a good starting point, but your promised tax cuts will deliver only minimal benefit to the groups you target. You must go farther if your tax plan is to promote a growing economy--something that is essential in our current situation... |
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