by Sati Malik

Created on: November 18, 2008   Last Updated: January 16, 2009

In the 1972 movie "The Candidate", fresh-faced Bill McCay (Robert Redford) unseats a long-time incumbent U.S. Senator with his populist rhetoric and message of change. The movie ends awkwardly: on his winning night McCay corners his campaign manager and asks him,

"what do we do now?"

The euphoric crowd then sweeps them both away without an answer.

President-Elect Barack Obama must be asking himself the same question tonight as he sits in the living room of his Hyde Park, Chicago home. No doubt, his election was epoch-making. However, when he assumes office next January he'll likely inherit the legacy of eight years of George W. Bush: two unpopular wars, a fading middle class and the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression. Obama's plan to tackle these challenges is still being crafted. Therefore, if I could slip my suggestions for his first 100 days under his door here's what I'd write, in descending order of priority:

1) Strike a Bi-Partisan Tone

To grease the wheels of economic recovery, Obama should keep his promise to reach across the partisan divide. He'll help himself by including key Republicans within his administration. It's now more essential, as the Democrats fell short of the 60 senate seats needed to block filibusters.

2) Stimulate Liquidity in Financial Markets

We need "water" for our parched economy: Cash. Obama's job from day one will be to help convince countries hoarding trillions of our dollars in reserve - chiefly China, Japan and Saudi Arabia - that it's in their best interests to reinvest in the U.S. economy. After all, the American consumer is the engine of the global economy.

3) Set Guidelines for Bailouts

Appallingly, many big banks that swindled the "toxic" loans that paralyzed our credit markets are now poised to profit from the government's $700 billion bailout. Other teetering behemoths are awaiting a government handout, figuring they're "too big to fail." The U.S. Treasury is in danger of creating a new "socialism of the rich." Obama needs to set parameters here in order to re-infuse big business with accountability. In consequence, several brand names will fail, but saying "no we can't" will jumpstart competition.

4) Bail Out the Auto Industry

Although fledgling automakers Ford, GM and Crystler are notoriously mismanaged, they represent a keystone industry. We can't afford the six million more lost jobs and added turmoil in financial markets that would follow their collapse. Moreover, because this industry is the face of

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