As much as it pains me to do so, I got to get serious for a few minutes. It is time for Democrats to come together and hold our fellow Democratic leaders' feet to the fire; some sacred cows need to be killed. I'm not talking about the Dems basic traditional values, like minority rights and social safety nets. I'm talking about such cancers such as corporate cash, and Republican Lite policies. This country was never meant to be a place where only the ultra-rich had a place at the table, and such tumors as K Street needed to be surgically removed. All of our national leaders, and quite a few of our local ones, are egregiously addicted to moola. I agree with Molly Ivins -- we need real campaign finance reform now, and we'll need to reform it again and again. There's a Long War worth fighting -- getting the money out.
I have some more clear ideas for our national platform this year, which I will list below, with my brief personal argument for each.
* A clear timely exit strategy from Iraq to begin immediately.
We're damned if we stay and we're damned if we go. I say we go. Americans have shed enough blood.
* Outlawing no-bid contracting of federal spending, including review to assure sensible purchasing and spending.
Halliburton, $400 hammers, substandard military equipment at premium cost. Nuff said.
* A domestic program to rebuild America's infrastructure.
As Katrina showed, many basic structures in America ain't what they ought to be. If you know any bridge you take on your way to work that's falling down, or your kid goes to a school with more portable buildings than permanent, you know this is way overdue. And a simple way to create jobs for Americans.
* Rebuild our basic safety nets in social spending.
FEMA needs rescuing. Take it back out of Homeland Security, and return it to a cabinet level agency. Federal response to emergencies has historically been knotty with red tape, but under Clinton, FEMA actually became an agency that was the exception to that rule. HUD, Labor, Interior, USDA, Health and Human Services, etc., have been all but gutted by underfunding and appointment cronyism. Congress needs more Democrats who will reverse these trends and mandate sensible funding for programs that work for the people that work, and their kids, and their grandparents.
* Enforcement of corporate responsibility.
Corporations have been granted the same rights as human beings. Should they not be held to the same responsibilities? We are living in Robber Baron times again, only the child labor is going on overseas. The working conditions of Americans are also affected. 13 miners in West Virginia are trapped, only one survives. 72 miners in Canada are trapped, and all are recovered alive, and thankful for the day and a half off to catch up on sleep. Duh.
* The environment and global warming.
This issue is so huge, I can't possible cover it here. But when polar bears are drowning trying to swim to the next ice floe and it ain't there, something is WRONG.
* The Constitution of the United States of America.
Democrats need to challenge EVERY member of our government sworn into their position to protect and defend to do so, and how. We'll only secure our country when we start using common sense, and wasting time abridging civil rights of citizens is as foolish as destroying Iraq to combat Osama. We are in a Constitutional Crisis in this country, people, and I miss Barbara Jordan.
These are my ideas, my hopes. Now blast away if you don't agree...and if you do, let's use our passion to make the real changes to get our country back.
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
