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Obama to Create White House Office of Urban Policy
November 12, 2008 8:59 AM
On National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" yesterday, longtime Obama family friend and Obama-Biden transition team co-chair Valerie Jarrett said that the president-elect would, as pledged during the campaign, create an Office of Urban Policy.
Jarrett said the office would "have a comprehensive approach to our urban development," who will be an "advocate for cities" within the White House, taking "all the variety of different federal programs and help target them in a logical and systematic way.
"For those of us who have worked in city governments across the country, we recognize how invaluable that person will be," she said.
Obama discussed this idea in June in a speech before the U.S. Conferen.
"Yes, we need to fight poverty," he said. "Yes, we need to fight crime. Yes, we need to strengthen our cities. But we also need to stop seeing our cities as the problem and start seeing them as the solution. Because strong cities are the building blocks of strong regions, and strong regions are essential for a strong America. That is the new metropolitan reality and we need a new strategy that reflects it -– a strategy that’s about South Florida as much as Miami; that’s about Mesa and Scottsdale as much as Phoenix; that’s about Stamford and Northern New Jersey as much as New York City. As president, I’ll work with you to develop this kind of strategy and I’ll appoint the first White House Director of Urban Policy to help make it a reality."
- jpt
UPDATE: ABC News Polling Director Gary Langer points out that Obama lost small towns and rural areas by 8 points, won suburbs by a scant 2 points, and won cities (population 50,000+) by 28 points, 63-35 percent. (That includes a 59-39 percent margin in cities with a population of 50,000-500,000, and an even wider 70-28 percent margin in cities with more than 500,000 residents.)
November 12, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (81)
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It's obvious Obama haters here hate Obama for something other than what he has done; since he has yet to take office and do anything to justify their hate. What couls it be???? Is it because he's Black and racist just can stand the thought of a Black man being POTUS? They have absolutely no credibility to argue against Obama or his decisions as of now. Good grief, he hasn't even taken office. These are the same people that gave unwavering support to Bush and republicans as they lied us into war, looted the treasury and mismanaged our resources. They need to shut up, sit back and observe how intelligent adults handle the nation's business. Country First, Racist Last.
Posted by: McCain/Palin = Corporations First | Nov 13, 2008 8:41:11 AM
WOW...just we need...ANOTHER government agency to screw things up even more!
Change we need....
This is just the same as when Carter created the Dept of Education in 1979! Yeah...that Really worked Well !!!!
Today we have a school system that can't produce kids who understand basic math and expect "someone" to help them whenever something hard comes along! No wonder there are more people becoming democrats, they still want someone to do the homework for them.
Posted by: Mike_C | Nov 12, 2008 12:01:58 PM
----------------------------------------
Hopefully you're smart enough to realize the president sets the direction and tone that federal agencies take. Fema is a prime example fof how an incompetent, inept president can screw things up. Obama has proven to be far from incompetent or inept.
Posted by: McCain/Palin = Corporations First | Nov 13, 2008 1:43:10 AM
That's why we elected him,,, shut up.
Posted by: Lucky Lucy | Nov 12, 2008 10:42:48 PM
I am happy that he will care about the poor. Obama will follow what he truly believes is just for our nation. Even if he is in charge for only 8 years (I hope)- at least families will have a chance during that time.
Posted by: Independant American Woman | Nov 12, 2008 5:52:37 PM
Maybe if we start paying attention to the inner cities and working on them the crime rates may go down. You have to break the cycle somehow to make any progress. Give these young adults a sense of pride and accomplishment, and you will see improved results.
Posted by: Jwench | Nov 12, 2008 5:31:25 PM
Mike, I once worked for a very large school district in a non-teaching capacity. If the national education level is run even half as badly as that was, I can see why we are getting dumbed down. Most funds are wasted.
A metropolitan area will always be helped by curing the ills of the urban area at its center.
We may not succeed, but we should still try. Who says that the cures are handouts?
Posted by: Shockolit | Nov 12, 2008 4:58:38 PM
MikeC:
Those aren't my opinions on the rules President-elect Obama put in place for his transition team.
Nor are they imaginings about some hypothetical future, nor a simple reporting of what somebody 'says' they are going to do - these are publicly stated rules Obama has put in place regarding lobbyists.
And the quotes are the studied assessments from two of America's well-respected watchdog public policy institutes (Brookings Institute and American Enterprise Institute) - and as is stated these rules are "unprecedented", "tough and unequivocal".
Are people perfect ethical creatures - of course not! Get real!
Are these rules a major attempt to rein in the lobbyists who have been helping to run Washington - of course!
Tough, unequivocal and unprecedented . .. .
Posted by: pefros | Nov 12, 2008 4:20:35 PM
If you lived in DC, you'd send your kids to private school too. Besides they go to a private school now so what's the prob.
Posted by: annie | Nov 12, 2008 4:18:23 PM
p.s. - are people perfect ethical creatures - oh course not - get real!
Posted by: pefros | Nov 12, 2008 4:04:07 PM
the last thing our cities need are more bureaucrats. we have them by the truckload.our cities need less crime.and i got news for you, obama isn't the man to lower the crime rate.the cities are done, run by gangs selling drugs.
Posted by: jim | Nov 12, 2008 4:01:42 PM
Perf,
I am stating historical FACT. I could care less what dopey organization thinks of any guidelines or rule set.
There has not been any form of human government that has not had ethical problems.
No one cares what some foolish crap is said today about how he picks the members of his administration. The only thing that counts is what these people do when they are in office!
If you are stupid enough to believe the "messiah" is going to only appoint the "purest of heart", then you need to buy a lot of AIG stock!!!!
Posted by: Mike_C | Nov 12, 2008 3:46:58 PM
monica
re: 'Will get over your obama just like you liberals got over President George W Bush....NEVER.'
old 'W' certainly has left his mark on America, it might take a generation to recover from the damage he and his administration have done and continue to do..... Dems will be over Bush very soon, ....the country however, will suffer from Bush for a long time and will not have the choice to 'get over' it.
Posted by: I know rural America | Nov 12, 2008 3:39:21 PM
RL in ILL
re: "Michelle wanted to check out the private schools? Hmm. Wake up people. "
with all the nutty postings here and the
vile stuff being said about Obama around the country, I would be very cautious as well with where my kids went to school......
Posted by: Blue | Nov 12, 2008 3:34:17 PM
MikeC:
Those aren't my opinions on the rules President-elect Obama put in place for his transition team.
Nor are they imaginings about some hypothetical future, nor a simple reporting of what somebody 'says' they are going to do - these are publicly stated rules Obama has put in place regarding lobbyists.
And the quotes are the studied assessments from two of America's well-respected watchdog public policy institutes (Brookings Institute and American Enterprise Institute) - and as is stated these rules are "unprecedented", "tough and unequivocal".
Of course Mike I'm sure your 'valued assessment' is far better.
Posted by: pefros | Nov 12, 2008 3:31:47 PM
Good government types are heralding these (anti-lobbying) steps (by President-elect Obama) -- since they are unprecedented.
"The ethical guidelines released today for the Obama transition are tough and unequivocal."
Thomas Mann, Brookings Institution
"This ethics policy is a statement about the tone and tenor of the Obama administration. It is a good sign."
Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute
Posted by: pefros
---------------------------------------
Are you kidding, EVERY new administration ALWAYS says they are going to be the most ehical in history!
Then they ALL have their share of embarassing idiots who have to resign in shame or face legal action.
There is absoultely ZERO new here!
Posted by: Mike_C | Nov 12, 2008 3:02:24 PM
OH GOODIE!!!!!!! MORE NEWARKS and BALTIMORES.
Posted by: stan | Nov 12, 2008 3:01:46 PM
No, he did not inspire people to vote for him. It is that idiot George W. Bush pushed people to vote for him.
Posted by: Follower of Dearest Greatest Leader | Nov 12, 2008 11:20:51 AM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Will get over your obama just like you liberals got over President George W Bush....NEVER.
Posted by: Monica | Nov 12, 2008 2:58:51 PM
No, he did not inspire people to vote for him. It is that idiot George W. Bush pushed people to vote for him.
Posted by: Follower of Dearest Greatest Leader | Nov 12, 2008 11:20:51 AM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Will get over your obama just like you liberals got over President George W Bush....NEVER.
Posted by: Monica | Nov 12, 2008 2:57:51 PM
Wait, how was the department of homeland security any less dopey than this?
Posted by: David | Nov 12, 2008 2:51:10 PM
Good government types are heralding these (anti-lobbying) steps (by President-elect Obama) -- since they are unprecedented.
"The ethical guidelines released today for the Obama transition are tough and unequivocal."
Thomas Mann, Brookings Institution
"This ethics policy is a statement about the tone and tenor of the Obama administration. It is a good sign."
Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute
Posted by: pefros | Nov 12, 2008 2:27:47 PM
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