Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
In light of the all the hoopla about President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union speech on Tuesday night, I have been thinking of all of the ideas and issues that I would like the President to address in his talk with the country. Since I am a Bears fan and used to dreaming, here it goes.
The first issue that I would like to hear President Obama discuss on Tuesday is the Economy. I don’t mean just “jump starting” the economy. I want to hear about the plans to reach full employment. I am not suggesting that the unemployment rate should be zero, but if we are not shooting for that, how will we get the unemployment rate down to an “acceptable” number? I want the President to tell me that he will be starting government jobs programs to assist cities and states with their infrastructure. I am talking about WPA type programs to give every willing worker a job. Whether it is rebuilding and renovating our National Parks and National Monuments, or helping out in State parks and recreation areas; the result is the same. Having jobs that pay people to actually help our country and get paychecks to people who will spur the economy as a whole.
The next issue that I would like the President to talk about is one that will probably be very contentious. I want him to challenge the Congress, on national TV to reintroduce the Assault Weapons Ban to control some of our deadliest weapons. That would include restricting the size of the magazines or clips that could be used on semi-automatic weapons. I would also want to hear that the gun show loop-hole must be “fixed” and made part of the legislation. This will create a firestorm from the Right and from the Left, but if he really wants to help save lives, this is a good first step.
When I read in the papers and on this blog that the Republicans and some Democrats want to repeal and/or defund “Obama care”, my blood just boils. To that end, President Obama needs to outline every single benefit of the health care reform legislation that will die or not be initiated if the legislation is repealed or starved to death financially. When the public hears what the Insurance industry funded Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats want everyday Americans to lose or do without, Americans everywhere will “inform” the Republicans and the Democrats just what is important to them. Since I am dreaming here, I would also want the President to challenge any legislator who votes to repeal or defund the legislation to give up their government-funded health insurance. If you don’t want Americans to have insurance coverage, you shouldn’t take any coverage from the government. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Finally, the President should reaffirm his vow to end any and all torture by our military and intelligence authorities. The President could reignite his base by going one step further to say that he will be instructing Attorney General Holder to investigate any past instances of torture during the Bush Administration including the actors and the officials who authorized it. It will be a bombshell, but justice deserves this kind of bombshell. If he really has grown a set, he could also mention Pvt. Manning by name and vow to end his solitary confinement and treat him like any other person who has only been charged of a crime.
Now that I have gone out on a limb to give you several of the items on my State of the Union wish list, it is time for you to go out on that limb and tell us what you want the President to discuss on Tuesday evening. It will be interesting to see if the President actually discusses any of our items. This will give us something to talk about after the Bears beat the Packers today!
Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/48023.html Independents return to Obama. Maybe, the tea party scared them.
Jill
1, January 24, 2011 at 12:10 pm
anon nurse,
I have hope. My hope is not in false “leaders”. It is in my fellow citizens. In fact, it is not hopeful to look to “leaders” to solve our problems. We must fact that reality and choose another pathway, a pathway of courage. A path of joining together as average citizens and saying no to injustice and fighting for justice. Otherwise we are engaging in little more than feel good hopeology. We must take being a citizen seriously and act with conviction and strength to do what is right. There is no hope without this.
=========
I agree completely. Well said.
Jill,
“I would much rather hear the citizens of this nation stand up for right against wrong than listen to anything Obama says he will do “for us”. ”
So would I…
Thanks for the information on torture from Seymour Hersh. Some people don’t want to believe that it’s still going on, but it is…and in various forms, even domestically. The “proof” will come in time. (I’m looking forward to his book.)
Chris Hedges is someone to whom we all need to listen carefully, IMHO. Thanks for the link.
A psychiatrist friend and I were recently discussing certain domestic activities related to illegal surveillance, psychological harassment/torture. As he accurately stated (IMO), “…psychological torture can be even worse than physical torture.”
anon nurse,
I have hope. My hope is not in false “leaders”. It is in my fellow citizens. In fact, it is not hopeful to look to “leaders” to solve our problems. We must fact that reality and choose another pathway, a pathway of courage. A path of joining together as average citizens and saying no to injustice and fighting for justice. Otherwise we are engaging in little more than feel good hopeology. We must take being a citizen seriously and act with conviction and strength to do what is right. There is no hope without this.
anon nurse,
Well said, but I was never a very good whistler,in the dark or in the sun.
Jill,
While I agree that it’s all for show, “hope” is a wonderful thing. Who was it that said, “Even in the dark, one has the power to whistle.”?
Thanks for your comment and the additional information.
Jill,
I like Mr. Hedges wish list!
Tootie, methinks your tinfoil hat is a little bit too tight… Should get that re-sized.
What Obama says is irrelevant. He often makes multiple claims for good PR and then moves forward with his actual agenda, the opposite of those claims. I would much rather hear the citizens of this nation stand up for right against wrong than listen to anything Obama says he will do “for us”.
This is a great list, but it is not going to happen, even if he would say what you wanted, word for word. First, look at Obama’s economic team–pro corporate all the way. Heathcare? That plan was written by a former Well Point executive in concert with Obama’s secret meeting with Big Pharma. Torture? Here’s a recent speech by Seymour Hersh on this topic: “Torture? Yep, still going on. It’s more complicated now the torture, and there’s not as much of it. But one of the things we did, ostensibly to improve the conditions of prisoners, we demanded that the American soldiers operating in Afghanistan could only hold a suspected Taliban for four days, 96 hours. If not… after four days they could not be sure that this person was not a Taliban, he must be freed. Instead of just holding them and making them Taliban, you have to actually do some, some work to make the determination in the field. Tactically, in the field. So what happens of course, is after three or four days, “bang, bang” — I’m just telling you — they turn them over to the Afghans and by the time they take three steps away the shots are fired. And that’s going on. It hasn’t stopped. It’s not just me that’s complaining about it. But the stuff that goes on in the field, is still going on in the field — the secret prisons, absolutely, oh you bet they’re still running secret prisons. Most of them are in North Africa, the guys running them are mostly out of Djibouto [sic]. We have stuff in Kenya (doesn’t mean they’re in Kenya, but they’re in that area)” (excerpt from Foreign Policy transcript, book to come out soon)
Yesterday, Bradley Manning’s visitor and driver were illegally detained on orders, “from the top”. They were not able to see him and there is no news of his current condition. (See Glenn Greenwald)
Weapons? The US is the arms dealer to the world. The govt. continues to develop ever more disgusting and horrific weapons, many of whom are sold to allies or supposed foes on the black market.
So great list, not gonna happen–not unless we the people demand it happen from the ground up and absolutely refuse to support any person or party involved in the destruction of our nation. We need a people’s state of the nation.
Here’s an article by Chris Hedges on leftist capitulation to evil: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/01/24-3 It has a good outline of a people’s state of the union: “Either we begin to militantly stand against the coal, oil and natural gas industry or we do not. Either we defy pre-emptive war and occupation or we do not. Either we demand that the criminal class on Wall Street be held accountable for the theft of billions of dollars from small shareholders whose savings for retirement or college were wiped out or we do not. Either we defend basic civil liberties, including habeas corpus and the prosecution of torturers or we do not. Either we turn on liberal institutions, including the Democratic Party, which collaborate with these corporations or we do not. Either we accept that the age of political compromise is dead, that the corporate systems of power are instruments of death that can be fought only by physical acts of resistance or we do not. If the liberal class remains gullible and weak, if it continues to speak to itself and others in meaningless platitudes, it will remain as responsible for our enslavement as those it pompously denounces.
anon nurse,
Which domestic activities are you referring to? Illegal spying on civilians? I do like your greater protection for whistleblowers. The corporations that own us might not agree, however.
A few wishes, which have probably already been mentioned:
Greater oversight; increased transparency and accountability; greater protection for whistleblowers; exposure, and an end to certain domestic activities….
Thanks for this posting, rafflaw.
Buckeye,
don’t hold your breath!
Bob, I like your choice of songs!
President: “What song is it you wanna hear?”
Crowd: “Free Afghanistan!”
President: “Play it pretty for Atlanta…”
Personally I find the Stat of The Union Address to be little more than a political pep rally. But rules are rules…
rafflaw
Maybe we should ask Tootie to give her sources as we expect everyone to do. Now that I’d like to see!
Tootie,
Just because you say it is true, does not make something true. Your wild claim that the Feds are allowing in the terrorists is unfounded and unproven. Even your claim that stopping all Muslims from entering the country is specious. There is no evidence that they are dangerous Muslims entering the country now. It might surprise you to know that the Obama Administration has deported far more aliens during its first two years than the Bush regime. Why didn’t you ask Bush to stop “inviting” Muslims into the country? Finally, if Christians are involved in domestic terrorism, shouldn’t all Christians be prevented from entering the country under your wild theory? Wasn’t Jared Loughner a Christian just to name the latest.
Lotta,
It would be nice if Obama really strengthened the FOIA,but I am not holding my breath.
Puzzling:
I agree with your excellent comments.
Except for the obsolete Industrial Military Complex rubric. It is more like the Government Academia Media Complex. The governments control of education and the media allows for brainwashing of the young and old.
We need good weapons systems (indeed these should be the best) and a reasonable sized military to maintain them. But we surely do not need bases all over the world nor our immoral aggression in the Middle East and elsewhere.
It does provoke attacks on our soil.
Rafflaw, LOL, I’d like to see that regarding FOIA.
“… only allowing the national security exemption if the government can prove that it truly is so important that it cannot be divulged to a review body comprised of 3 members of the opposite party as the President’s?”
Tootie,
We are bringing in the terrorists through our foreign policy, military adventures, and relentless drive to a global empire in the name of national security. They have even told us so, and yet the vast majority refuse to listen.
I did listen to your video from Paul. He warns that sanctions on Iran are a precursor to war. In my view his assertion is correct. Of course, we are trained to believe that the run-up to this new war must be the proper course of action because there was “bipartisan” consensus.
The policies driven by today’s military-industrial-congressional complex are the single largest threat to our national security, bar none.
Slart:
LOL
You were the one who first yapped at me. Please don’t play with those lead contaminated toys: THROW THEM AWAY.