What MUST Joe Biden Do as Soon as He Is Inaugurated?

[MineralMan]

I have no idea, actually. On January 21, his first full day as President, he will be facing an enormous challenge. There are so many things that need to be done to undo the damage Trump wreaked on this country. I can't pick one and say it should be his highest priority. That's way, way above my pay grade.

Even now, before the transition gets underway, people are making demands that Biden do this or that Biden do that. WTF, folks?

He's going to sit down with his new cabinet and map out a strategy to begin doing things. My highest priorities are irrelevant, because I have too little information and no power.

Should he immediately order that Donald Trump be prosecuted? I saw someone say that. Well, odds are that Trump will have resigned and been pardoned, so that may not even be an option for Biden's DOJ. Should he enact a law that gives money to people in need because of the pandemic? He can't do that. He has no money to hand out. Congress has to do that. Presidents don't make laws.

There are hundreds of things that need to be done. Thousands, really. Every last one of them is going to take prioritization and planning.

Here's what I suggest:
Let's give Joe Biden some time to get started.

Let's not yell at him about what he MUST DO RIGHT FUCKING NOW! That trick never works.

Let's not second guess every decision he makes. He might just have information we don't have that is influencing his plans and strategies.

Let's let him get started doing his job without screaming at him about our own individual priorities. He has a lot to do, most of which we barely understand.

Thanks!

[treestar]

1. I hope we have learned that the "putting feet to the fire"

only helps Republicans. Rs can sense when we don't support the Democrat and they use it against us.

And not have unrealistic expectations. There is a cartoon with a big mess in the Oval Office and Biden standing there with a mop.

And the Orange Menace is doing all he can to mess things up further.

[MineralMan]

3. Apparently we have not learned that.

There are still those who would apply that old torture technique from the Inquisition to Biden. Such people think their priorities MUST be everyone's priorities. There are very many high priority items that need to be addressed, and Biden will have all of them on his plate in the same serving.

Holding his feet to the fire will only distract him from getting things underway. Pain prevents planning.

[Miguelito Loveless]

2. Have all the offices in DC

swept by the FBI for bugs, bombs and biological agents.

Assume all GOP are Russian assets.

[MineralMan]

4. Yes, well, that will be done.

Biden will not have to supervise that as a high priority.

Really, I wasn't asking for people to tell me what their highest priorities are. I thought I made that clear. Maybe no.

[Mike Niendorff]

6. THIS.

Seriously, this is the correct answer.

And start with the White House.

Not even slightly kidding.


MDN

[OregonBlue]

5. I'm there 100%. I'm already tired of "What should Joe Biden do" articles. I voted for him

because he is smart and capable.

[MineralMan]

9. Yes, he is, and he is also well-advised.

Thanks!

[Ohiogal]

7. Rescind all of Trump's executive orders.

[Sympthsical]

46. That was my first thought, too

Just get a whole stack of Trump's nonsense orders and check them off one by one. That is something that can be done immediately and would have a great impact on a whole host of policy areas.

Fortunately, I've read that Biden's team is going to have a lot of executive orders and rescinding ones ready to go on day one.

[NCjack]

8. On Day 1, Joe will get writer's cramp from signing Exec Orders to reverse

those by Trump.

[MineralMan]

12. Actually, that is going to take weeks to get through.

Each of those executive orders must be carefully written and vetted before he signs them. He'll probably sign a few on the first day, but that process is going to be an ongoing one.

[Sympthsical]

49. They started writing them up months ago

I read an article, maybe two months or so ago, that Biden's team knew they'd have to clean up with executive shit heap, so they were trying to get ahead of it all and write up executive orders while deciding which ones to rescind.

They're on it.

[MineralMan]

54. Yes, they did.

The most important of them will be signed and issued on day one. The rest will be done over weeks.

[Sympthsical]

60. I'm sure they're getting their priority ducks in a row

They have their reasons for what gets done right away. I'm willing to trust they know what they're doing.

[MineralMan]

66. Exactly. We should celebrate the win and let them

get on with their work. Then, once we see how things are going, it will be time to ask that they do things we want. Most of those things will already be underway, though. They know what is needed.

[Srkdqltr]

10. If he and his team are as smart as they seem, they know what has to happen and have things in place

To make them happen. His appointees are veterans of the department they will lead. I have no doubt things will run from day one.

[jcgoldie]

11. Rejoin Paris Agreement.

.

[MineralMan]

14. He has already said he would do that.

Didn't you notice?

[jcgoldie]

16. Yes i did

I was answering the question in the op.

[MineralMan]

18. Did you read the rest of the OP?

Apparently not.

[jcgoldie]

20. Yes the lesson put me to sleep

So figured Id skip to the test

[tavernier]

13. I'm guessing he will say a prayer of thanks,

hug his wife and kids, make a stop to cemetery perhaps,
and turn toward Russia and give Putin the bird.

[Pobeka]

15. He must *not* go into the WH for three weeks.

Seriously, that place is a COVID19 hotspot based on all reports.

Send in some people that know how to disinfect with UV, chemicals, whatever. Then let it sit for 3 weeks to be sure.

Biden is not in an age group that should take any risk, no matter how small.

There -- that might be your first MUST NOT item.

[Mike Niendorff]

17. That being said:

Declining to prosecute Trump would be a major, major issue for me.

You cannot let criminals go unpunished and expect them to magically start behaving like decent people.

Fail to enforce the law, and the criminals will only be emboldened.

That was the lesson of Bush v Gore.

It was *emphatically* the lesson of the last 4 years.

I do not want to be here if we have to face another such lesson after 2024.

We barely survived this one. We will not survive the next.


MDN

[MineralMan]

22. If, as I expect, Trump resigns and receives a blanket pardon from Pence,

there will be no prosecution of Trump by the DOJ. An investigation, of course, but that pardon would prevent an actual prosecution.

Trump, stupid as he is, knows enough to protect himself from that. State charges could still be brought, but those are not the business of the President.

[Turin_C3PO]

27. Yeah,

if he’s to be prosecuted it probably has to be done at the state level. The DOJ likely won’t have the option to go after him. His minions? Yes, but not him.

[Mike Niendorff]

34. That has never actually been litigated.

It should be.

The assumption that Trump can pardon himself at all -- or, even further, that he can pardon himself for crimes with which he has not even currently been charged -- is not at all established at this point.

People assume too much.

This should be litigated fully, in the interest of future generations.


MDN

[ancianita]

38. +1

[BGBD]

19. He could have

Several EOs ready. Canceling some student debt, shutting down ICE concentration camps, rejoining Paris, rejoining WHO, directing DOJ not to join plaintiffs in cases against ACA, support DACA, more.

[MineralMan]

26. No doubt there will be such EOs.

I'm sure people are working on them right now and that work will continue. He knows what he is doing, and his staff knows what it is doing, too, no doubt. I trust them to take care of those kinds of things without my input.

[PCIntern]

21. Piss on Trump's shoes.

On edit: sorry. Couldn’t help it

[MineralMan]

23. I hope Trump and all of his shoes are nowhere to be seen.

So, that will be impractical, I'd guess.

[Turin_C3PO]

24. I think

a lot of people responding didn’t read past the headline.

[MineralMan]

28. Yes, as always.

It's a sort of test, really. Some don't pass the test.

[jcgoldie]

31. You ask a question

Then you gives 5 paragraphs of your opinion. Now you are berating people whos opinion is not identical to yours. Nice thread.

[MineralMan]

33. Did you read those paragraphs?

Not once did I tell Biden what he should do or when. That is my point, which you apparently missed altogether.

I'm not berating anyone. I am making some suggestions about giving the man a break as he begins his term in office.

[GoCubsGo]

25. Get the kids out of the cages.

And, end that despicable, inhumane practice.

[MineralMan]

29. He has already said he'd do that.

Did you read my post?

[LuvNewcastle]

30. I don't have any suggestions, since I don't know half of what's going on

at any given time, but if I had to guess what he would do, I think it's going to be related to national security. Something tells me that things haven't been handled properly in that department for a long time. I also think he'll act soon on Covid-related matters, like logistics for vaccine distribution. Covid was a big issue for him during the campaign and I think he'll give it a lot of attention.

[soothsayer]

32. Pardon Reality Winner

Link to tweet

?s=21


Southern Sister Resister - Wordsmith #WeAreFresh
@ResisterSis20
President @JoeBiden please consider a compassionate release for #RealityWinner. Enough is enough. Please bring her home to her family and friends.
Pass it on.

Billie J. Winner-Davis
@bjwinnerdavis
I do not wish anyone harm/suffering, but just think of how horrific & painful it must have been for my daughter #RealityWinner to suffer & recover from C19 in prison with no medicine other than tylenol.
She was laughed at by the guards, congratulated for her positive test.

[MineralMan]

36. I doubt that is one of Joe Biden's highest priorities, really.

Think about it. We have, a deadly pandemic. Our reputation around the world is screwed. He'll probably get around to your suggestion, but probably not during the first week as President.

Yours is an example that illustrates my point.

[soothsayer]

39. It's not a difficult thing to accomplish though

[MineralMan]

43. More difficult than you might suppose.

The power of the Presidential pardon is enormous. Frankly, I doubt that Joe Biden is fully informed about that person or her conviction. Normally, pardons go through a lengthy process of being examined by an administration team. Then, the information goes to the President, who makes a decision.

Donald Trump handed out pardons like party favors. That is not the intent of the power of the Presidential pardon, and I'm 100% certain that Biden will not be handing them out without following a long-established practice.

Handing out pardons is a weighty responsibility. Joe Biden knows that, and will not just pardon someone until he has all of the facts in hand. You know Reality Winner's story. I doubt that Joe Biden knows as much about it as you do. He has a lot to think about.

[Mike Niendorff]

41. Then it is an example that illustrates an error in your point.

We need to stop expecting so little.

There is a job to be done. Get on it.

It may not be "Day One", but it better damn well not be "Day Never".


MDN

[soothsayer]

44. This

[Mike Niendorff]

40. 100% THIS

Thank you for the reminder.

Yes, THIS.


MDN

[ancianita]

37. What Joe MUST do isn't about any yelling or setting unrealistic timelines, imo.

It's not a fair characterization of anyone here to say that we're inclined to demand too much too soon.

We're tired and need relief, but we're not unrealistic about our understanding of his job.

We don't "second guess" out of inclination, but because of media second guessing, which we fight against constantly. We don't "order" this president -- that's the other side's dynamic.

Most of us have claimed that we're ecstatic to "let him get started doing his job" and to get to normal governance again no matter our priorities.

[Turin_C3PO]

50. Sadly,

I’ve already seen at least three posts threatening to withhold support for Biden in 2024 if he doesn’t do this, that, and the other. He hasn’t even taken office yet and some are already coming up with reasons not to support him. It’s ridiculous. I agree that the vast majority of DUers and other Democrats are reasonable in their expectations but it dismays me to see a few of those dumb posts that I illustrated above.

[ancianita]

59. I don't go in for sadly because of a few posts.

We won. We need to f'n act like it. Trusting Biden got us all to a win.

Don't believe negative hype. It goes away of its own ridiculous dead weight.

And in my opinion, we must ALL give all the credit to Jim Clyburn in a red state. Biden even says that. Clyburn didn't doubt, and Joe knows that that one endorsement got him and all of us to this place.

We carry on, not distracted or dismayed by the few, because we have the momentum of what's right and good.

[Turin_C3PO]

61. Oh, I agree.

I was just saying I have seen a few stupid posts. I agree that Jim Clyburn is a national treasure. His contributions to this country and our party have been immense.

[ancianita]

64. I kinda knew that.

We'll always be seeing the few stupid posts because doubting is easier than trusting and thinking.

I made a decision a long time ago to make a mental note and not engage.

[beachbumbob]

42. everything hinges on Georgia runoff election

so lets speculate after that

[MineralMan]

45. Well, not everything hinges on that, but it's very important.

[beachbumbob]

67. ?? What can be dome when McConnell blocks all things? I like to know

- no tax reform
- no election reform
- no federal judges
- no budget
- no relief bills
- no cabinet posts
- no trade treaties


for starters and no way around it, so yes, McConnell controls the entire Biden admin agenda

[MineralMan]

69. We are going to have to deal with whatever the reality is.

Ideally, we will win both seats in Georgia. Ideally.

But, here's the thing: Joe Biden is not Donald Trump. Not in any way. So, we start from there. Instead of thinking about ways to boost his own ego, Biden will be thinking about ways to improve life for Americans. So, that's a very important first step. He will be able to undo many of the horrible things Trump did.

What to do about McConnell and Graham? Well, I don't know, really, how they have maintained their positions for so long. Somewhere, there is something very, very ugly in their backgrounds and habits. I suggest those things be exposed.

How do we discover those things? Well, someone knows what they are. Perhaps it's Putin. Perhaps it's someone else. Let's go have a look and see what can be found.

I think that, without Trump around, Joe Biden will be able to accomplish far more than you might think. Just watch.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

47. If I were in President Biden's shoes, I

would have my aides compile a list of all Trump appointees, and their offices, during transition.

I would then have my aides compile a list of competent, trustworthy, experienced individuals capable of filling all of those offices, during transition.

Prior to inauguration, I would inform all aforementioned Trump appointees that their services would no longer be required as of January 20th.

On January 20th, I would officially fill all the vacancies left by the departing Trump appointees with the aforementioned competent, trustworthy, experienced individuals.

Of course, the physical offices where the Trump appointees formerly worked would have to be thoroughly disinfected, checked for surveillance devices, tested for deadly toxic agents, and thoroughly checked for explosive devices by bomb squads and bomb sniffing dogs, before the new staff began work in them.

Get all the vermin and their contaminants out of everywhere, first thing, and have an elite staff ready to get to work on repairing the damage of 4 years of Trump, immediately after the cleansing.

[Mike Niendorff]

56. +1000

^^^ What you said ^^^

MDN

[Mz Pip]

48. Fire Trump's political appointees.

Then start reversing Trump’s executive orders.

[MineralMan]

53. That' will happen as a matter of course.

That happens with every new President. No doubt his transition team is building a list of those appointees right now. Joe Biden won't do that personally. Requests for resignations will be sent by his staff. Another list of replacement appointees is also being drawn up right now, starting with the highest level appointees, and then working down the hierarchy from there.

In many cases, the previous appointee will be left in a position until someone is selected to replace him or her. Without replacements, a vacuum of leadership would exist until a new person can be appointed. The process will take weeks or months to complete. On the other hand, many political appointees actually do very little in their positions. Career civil servants do most of the actual work.

On day one, the entire previous cabinet will be asked to resign. Many will already have resigned. Lower positions, however, are replaced over time. Many Trump appointees will tender their resignations immediately, though. That's the usual practice.

[hamsterjill]

51. He will need to (and he has promised to) address the jobless

I am putting my faith in Joe. He has some great ideas to help older, yet still need to be employed people like me. I’m putting my full faith and trust in him for doing that.

[DrToast]

52. Have some ice cream

[MineralMan]

55. LOL! Yes.

[mtnsnake]

57. So I guess the answer you're looking for is

Biden is the one getting inaugurated, not any one of us, so we should just sit back and STFU and let him get to work for at least a while before we start screaming about doing this or that?

[panader0]

58. I assume that Joe's team has put together a planned order of necessary chores.

I also assume there will quite a bit done on day one, although I have no idea what the
main priorities are. There will be many busy months trying to remove what trump has done, and I
have complete faith that POTUS Biden will be very well advised.

[AmericanCanuck]

62. I am fearful

Not so much of republicans because their attacks are predicted and don't matter.

It is quite possible that the extreme left will be out tweeting and making demands of Biden before he has taken a full breath in the oval office. Some people just feel entitled to have their agenda, no matter how unworkable it is, ahead of everything else.

I remember President Obama was constantly attacked in the first year culminating in calls to primary him. That cost us the 2010 mid-terms.

I'd say let Joe Biden have at least a full two years to restore the damage done to the country by Trump and fix the ACA. Bernie & Co. should hold their horses until then.

[Firestorm49]

63. Here's my thoughts on needed actions.

Right or wrong, possible or not, I believe that the following issues need to be addressed.

1 Reduce the time period between the election and inauguration.
2 Give any and all bodies that issue subpoenas the ability enforce and prosecute those who ignore the subpoena.
3. Meaningful ramifications for any elected official who violates a sworn oath to uphold the constitution.
4 Establish nationwide standardized voting norms and procedures that clearly define how voting can be conducted; Time frames for mail in ballots, drop off ballots, counting procedures, recount procedures, challenges, etc.

And, as a side note; Take away Trump’s, Kushner’s, and Trump’s kids security clearances the moment Trump steps out of the Oval Office for the last time.

[Jirel]

65. You may think it's above your pay grade, but it isn't for a lot of people.

Lots of folks here who work in various political capacities, or with various NGOs, or are analysts, lawyers, etc. Saying "most of which we barely understand" doesn't apply to a whole lot of people. Where you're right, is that we can't expect everything to happen in the first day, or the first hundred days. Dump has literally been spending 4 years laying waste to the country, and sowing the ground with salt. It will take time to undo that.

Regardless, it is our job to hold his feet to the fire on a number of important issues. There are multiple, very different areas of damage that are literally killing people every day. He can, as Dump has, make major inroads on some of those areas with executive orders. While adding to our modern reshaping of the presidency as imperial, which MUST end, we have so many fires to put out that it's difficult to see how he'll get started on them otherwise.

I agree with you on the first 100 days. Let Joe learn the depths of the damage and fight the worst fires as fast as possible. But after that, it's our job to make sure the other important stuff gets done. No matter how much we have loved some of our presidents, they are harried, busy, and (most of all) politicians. Stuff gets put aside for political convenience or lack of energy. Some stuff has been put aside for far too long to keep being saved for "later, someday."

[CTyankee]

68. He KNOWS what to do. He will do it. We trusted him with our vote.

Now let's trust him to do the right thing at the right time.

[MineralMan]

71. Exactly!

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

70. Maybe Jill will have time to replace the tacky gold drapes in the Oval Office... n/t

[Roland99]

72. Fumigate the ENTIRE WH and the VP Residence - AND a full sweep of listening devices