12 March 2010 Survey this

12 March 2010 Survey this


Today’s mail brought on solicitation from some anti-Obama front for the GOP. I tossed it into the trash unopened. In the same handful of junk was a survey that the DNC would like me to complete about “how I feel Obama has done,” and what priorities I place on foreign and national policies and programs. Then there was a shorter prioritization section about what the DNC’s priorities should be. Lastly there was a too-short space for comments and a large section begging for money. I filled it out, stuffed it into the pre-paid envelope, and will hand it back to the USPS tomorrow so that the DNC gets the benefit of my thoughts.

I think Obama has done a “good” job with regard to the economy. We’re still deeply in debt, going deeper, but the system didn’t melt down. Between Bush’s last minute bailout and the immediate repeat that Obama’s people believed to be necessary, the government is still functioning and most nations have avoided a repeat of the Great Depression. Of course, not calling it a depression blunts the reality. It should be labeled the “Reagan-Bush not-so-great depression.” Perhaps that awareness will trickle down yet.

He gets poor marks for not immediately restoring the banking and financial trading oversight and regulations that allowed the current problems to happen. Until he recognizes the necessity for re-regulation and tells the banks to shut up and accept the return to regulation that prevents the world’s average citizens being screwed by the bankers and traders; he will continue to receive a “poor” rating.

He also gets “poor” marks for job creations. The New Deal showed the way. Put people to work picking up trash, clearing rubble, anything that can be done by the un-educated or under-educated people needing weekly paychecks. The private sector will never provide jobs until they are forced to provide them in order to have people buy their products.

Foreign policy? “Poor marks”

Forget N. Korea until they sell a bomb to someone or launch a bomb-laden missile. Then sink the ship or derail the train, take out the truck, as needed, before it leaves N. Korea.

Iran? Sanctions and timely strikes against their nuclear plants. No more attempts to talk with them. Remind them that the Persian Empire lost to the West. They need to sell oil even more than we need to buy it. Blockade their ports.

Iraq? We’re done there. Pull out all of our equipment. Leave nothing useful behind. Load it all on our trucks and drive it to Israel until we can transport it elsewhere. Let Iraq settle its own future. If they destroy what’s left, it’s their problem now.

Israel? Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital city of Israel. Support them as allies, tell them a two state solution is expected and insist they implement it. The would-be-Palestinians can find a new capital city. They were late-comers to Jerusalem. Gaza belongs to Egypt. Tell them so. Israel needs to stop building settlements in the West Bank and should remove all the ultra-orthodox settlers just as was done in Gaza. Leave the buildings for the would-be-Palestinians, who will, sadly, probably destroy them as was done with the infrastructure left in Gaza.

How the rest of the world views us is not worth the travel and speeches that have happened or are planned. Show them our intent from here.

Domestic policy? “Poor marks”

We need to focus on putting people to work.

We need to pass health care reform and implement single payer national health insurance. The GOP, Blue Dogs, and insurance company can collectively stand aside or be publically pilloried as opposing affordable health care for our citizens.

Immigration, seal the southern borders. We have enough people needing jobs, education, and housing without providing them to Mexican citizens. Jail our citizens who hire illegals. End the practice of cities and churches offering “sanctuary.” We left the Dark Ages behind.

Education? We need national policies and standards for all public schools with increased demands for all students focusing on mathematics and sciences. Football, basketball, baseball, and other athletic programs should be done away with. We need the money for textbooks, not stadia. Europeans pay to belong to athletic teams in their various communities. They do not waste education funding on athletics. Any student capable of earning an academic scholarship should receive national funding to continue his or her education in the sciences, mathematics, literature, and other disciplines beneficial to the nation. Local school boards no longer work. We have too many situations where bias, religion, and poverty have resulted in schools that do not teach. We don’t need any more examples like Mississippi and Alabama.

We need new energy resources. Nuclear plants need to be constructed and brought up on-line. We need wind farms where ever possible. We need to upgrade public transportation in our cities and between cities. Ethanol is not a solution; quit paying for it.

Mr. Obama, you hold a unique place in our history. Sadly much of our population is bigoted, poorly educated, and prone to following demagogues like Limbaugh and Palin. They will never like you or even accept you. Yet you have the power to make huge changes. You could achieve greatness as well occupy the place you already hold. Recognize that opportunity and risk it all! Earn the “Excellent” you are capable of earning. Tell the GOP to “Go to Hell” and do what the nation needs you to do.



As for the DNC:

You’ve already blown it. You came to power with an unheard of majority in Congress and you let the GOP spin lies and panic between truth and the public. You let your own divisiveness and lack of courage cost us the future.

We needed banking regulations, health care reform, and economic reform. You showed us spineless, divided, selfish men and women more concerned with re-election than with the nation’s needs. You all deserve to be swept from office. Only the unqualified greed and lust for power of the GOP prevents me from wishing that you all be defeated.

We need progressive candidates at grass roots, local, state, and national levels. We need people willing to remain free of lobbyist entrapment, willing to vote for the people, not corporate backers.

We need Obama to quit worrying about re-election and to act presidential.

We need to unseat the GOP as a bloc. Which means that all the elected Democrats need to actually forget about re-election and do what we sent you there to do. Carry out the business and needs of the citizens, not that of Wall Street and K Street.