Cross posted on Daily Kos
If we survive the next two plus years, I’ve started to think about what I consider to be non-negotiable demands I will make of the next president.
Here are some things that I’ve come up with, what about you?
A clearly defined strategy for dealing with Iraq. This does not mean a bunch of double talk, triple speak and hemming and hawing. It means a precise description of what will happen, how it will happen, and when it will happen. This must be articulated in clear and crisp sentences which contain a beginning, a middle and an end.
Universal health care. Universal access to health care. Single payer health insurance. Not gimmicks. A program that will be understood by all Americans with low administrative costs and a program which will be affordable. Health insurance which can never, ever be taken away. In a word, health insurance, no better or worse than what our elected representatives give themselves.
A new Medicare prescription drug benefit. A program preferably run by Medicare which requires minimal paperwork. A benefit which will insure that no senior citizen in America will ever go without lifesaving medicine. A program that will be for the benefit of the people, not the insurance companies, the corrupt lobbyists and the pharmauceutical industry.
Strengthen Social Security so that it will be there for me and succeeding generations. Perhaps raise the cap on the the social security tax. Never, ever mention the word privatize.
Energy independence. Require the automobile industry to produce fuel efficient cars. Tax the gas guzzling monster SUVs. Jerome a Paris, help me out here.
Restore progressive taxation. Make the wealthy pay their fair share. And if we need to levy onerous taxes to repair the devastion of the Bu$h years, then hit the wealthy–those who have escaped sharing the burden since 2000.
Rebuild the Gulf Coast of the United States. Create good jobs with good wages while restoring a region and a city New Orleans, vital to the American economy and the American identity. Build a world class levee system which will withstand a cat 5 hurricane.
Pledge to hold monthly press conferences. When asked a question, look into the camera and tell the truth in clear and crisp language–not political speak. Do not evade, duck and insult the intelligence of the American people with garbled nonsense and non-answers.
Commit to placing professionals–the best and the brightest–in key government and cabinet positions. For example: a seasoned first responder at FEMA. An esteemed public health expert at HHS. Reject 100% placing political hacks in sensitve government positions.
In the first 100 days, travel to major world capitals and start to repair the damage inflicted by the reign of the worst president ever.
Pledge never to spy on the American people. Pledge to never violate the civil liberties of the American people.
Demand that our country have the best military in the world. Give our veterans the benefits they have earned and deserve. Never again send our soldiers to fight and die for a lie. And if you do have to send them to war, make sure we have the best equipped army in the world.
Pledge to take your oath of office seriously. When you place you hand on the Bible, make sure you mean what you say. Remember that to the Worst President Ever, the oath of office was meaningless verbiage.
If a candidate and a president can commit to this, I’ll feel we’ve made some progress.
