Reassurance

From early on, one of the reasons I supported Obama was because he favored net neutrality: maintaining the internet as an open medium, allowing anyone to access and use it freely, and privileging no one group (or giant telecom) over any other. (Background on net neutrality here.) The internet is the new global commons; its role in free expression and uncensored debate should remain sacrosanct. Today, Obama's pick of Julius Genachowski to head the FCC signals that he intends to deliver on this issue. Genachowski helped develop Obama's telecom positions.

I feel like Obama is on a role here, reassuring me that on key issues where I thought he might waffle he will actually deliver. First, there is this appointment. There is also Dawn Johnsen as the new head of the OLC, the Panetta appointment to CIA and Robert Gibbs clear answer as to whether or not Obama will repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell: "Yes." (The answer comes at about 4:15 on the video.) All through the campaign I was concerned that Obama would back off from controversial, undiplomatic stances or stances unfriendly to business that he didn't really need to take to get his primary agenda done. Now, he's not President yet, and we still need to see what he actually does. But, these recent decisions are unequivocal good signs that he intends to back up his campaign promises with action.