Monday, August 25, 2008

What do you think REAL CHANGE means?

I was coerced into voting for Barack Obama in the Indiana primary instead of my first choice, Ron Paul as with most elections in the United States, I had to vote for a lesser evil instead of someone I actually wanted to support, it sucked, but I swallowed hard, and took it like a man. I'd rather have someone who might get us out of Iraq, and who might have enough sense not to continue the American Empire project which is leading us rapidly into a repeat of the last days of Rome. Mr Obama appeared to be the only electable choice who at least gave us that chance.

Now we see the true colors of Mr Obama starting to come out. He has chosen a running mate who has none of my views, and doesn't represent anything other than the status quo.

Our country is broken, and facing extinction, and all we get is more bread and circus... the shit storm is coming, and it won't be pretty. I don't think Obama represents enough change, and it's discouraging. I let this sit while I thought about it overnight... this morning a new twist arrived, in a comment on his blog, Doc Searls asked
what would real CHANGE be?

This gives me an opportunity to turn this around into a positive, and I'm glad.

Here's my list, off the top of my head:

  1. Admission that we've been covertly building an Empire, and a promise to stop, and support Democracy around the world instead.
  2. Admission that we're hooked on foreign fuels, and we need to break this addiction, starting now. Immediate tariffs on imported fossil fuels to start paying off the national debt.
  3. Admission that we've been bought and paid for by lobbyists from all over the world, and it will stop now. Lobbying undermines the Constitution, and thus is a form of Treason.
  4. Admission that the shift from the Gold standard was a mistake, and an immediate return to the Gold standard at $2000 = 1 Ounce, giving everyone a one time 50% inflation hit, instead of the 5-10 years of 17% inflation like the 1970s. After that, no more inflation, ever.
  5. Trials for High Crimes and Misdemeanors of those involved in the planning and promotion of the Iraq war, which caused the death of over 4000 Troops, countless other injuries both physical and mental, along with well in excess of 100,000 civilians, and hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. Not to mention the trillions of dollars lost.
  6. Immediate dissolution of both Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, with the bondholders receiving whatever is left after costs are recovered by the US Government. Shareholders would get nothing.
  7. Elimination of the Electoral college, replaced with a 1st/2nd/3rd choice system of direct election of the President. The VP would serve at the discretion of the President, subject to Senate confirmation.
  8. Phased withdrawal of US troops from all foreign bases, including Gitmo.
  9. Allocating at least 1/2 of all radio frequencies for use of the public to allow a free national wireless internet.

Hows that for a start?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Good list. I agree with most of it. Not sure about the gold standard or the trials, but we do have to admit that the Age of Empire is over, that the electoral college is a ridiculous anachronism, that fiscal responsibility alone requires radical reforms.

And I was disappointed in the Biden choice too. He's not only a status quo guy, but a friend of McCain's who has said enough negative stuff about Obama to fill a hundred McCain attack ads.

I'm sitting in a Phoenix airport under a TV tuned to Fox News, which is so obviously biassed that it might as well be called The Republican Channel. Why would McCain even bother buying time on a channel like that? Maybe he doesn't.

Okay, plane is boarding...