AP is reporting that President Obama has rejected all the options that his National Security team have offered him.

From a distance, the new administration's handling of some aspects of the financial crisis seemed like nothing had "changed." Some of the government regulators who oversaw the worse financial collapse since the Great Depression, were given prominent positions in the new administration. The lack of action on excessive bonus pay, consumer protection, future regulation and too-big-too-fail financial companies has put into question whether or not this administration had our best interests at heart.

Presidents are dependent on their advisers to help them navigate the mounds of policy issues that face them on a daily basis. Those advisers also provide options to the President when action is required on his part. Many of the administration's critics question whether Obama's advisers are serving him well.

It is too early to tell. I hope this act of independence is a new beginning. It may be that the President is finally taking control of Afghanistan. Hopefully the same will occur with the issues surrounding the regulation of the financial sector.