I spend a lot of time writing about what I see is wrong with
America, but I don’t often go into what I would do to fix things if given a
magic wand. So here is my wish list of things I would do to turn this country
around and set it on the right path. Is it a practical or realistic list? No.
It’s wishful thinking. Shazaam.
1. Campaign finance reform
This is my top priority. We will never have a functioning
government responsible to the wishes of the people if the one percent and
corporations can essentially buy candidates for office. I would be in favor of
getting all public money out of political campaigns, but that seems like a pipe
dream. We can get Citizens United overturned and close the many loopholes that
allow the wealthy to funnel money to candidates or to media campaigns that
obviously help one candidate over another. We should also be able to figure out
ways to level the playing field so that we are not being governed primarily by
multi-millionaires who have little understanding of the needs of the average
American. I also think the federal government should step in to stop states
from gerrymandering districts at the whim of whoever has the votes to do it.
This practice also skews and twists the will of the people. Instead of making
it more difficult for people to vote, we should be doing everything we can to
get voters to the polls. Let’s hold elections on Saturdays or give America a
day off to vote. Finally, if we don’t start here, none of the other fixes we
need as a nation will ever become reality.
2. Stop giving corporate lobbyists and Wall Street undue
influence on economic policy
The influence of corporate lobbyists and Wall Street on the
economy has led to disaster after disaster, and currently stagnation, and we
need to do whatever it takes to curb their control on economic policy. For decades
now, policies have been adopted that benefit America’s wealthiest individuals
and corporations at the expense of average citizens. The result is gross income
inequality and a tiny percentage of the population controlling the majority of
this country’s wealth. Even though “trickle down” economics has been thoroughly
debunked, it feels as if the government is still operating on the assumption
that helping the wealthiest will benefit everyone else. There are economists
who have offered alternative approaches to boosting the economy, but their
voices are marginalized or drowned out by “free market” fanatics. It’s time we
started listening to them.
3. We must take back our government from the Deep State
We the people have lost control of our government to a small
cadre of leaders in the military, NSA, CIA and the C suites of our larger
corporations who are not held accountable by elections and apparently do not
feel bound by the Constitution. They are keepers of the secrets and, I believe,
leverage their knowledge to influence Congress and the President. The Deep
State that Eisenhower warned us about didn’t originate with George Bush, but he
and Cheney and a timid Congress gave it vast new powers after 9/11 and it is
now a behemoth operating just beneath the surface gathering data on every
American, regardless of whether you are suspected of a crime or not. We need to dismantle the security monster created under the Bush
Administration. The dilemma is that once given this great power, it isn’t very
realistic to think a person will willingly give up that power and influence. It
is going to need to be wrested away from them, and that will require a very
strong President and the support of Congress. Obviously, this will not happen
anytime soon.
4. Take immediate action on climate change
The longer we wait to do this, the worse the damage will be
worldwide. Once again, the influence of corporate interests is stalling action
on this important issue. There is virtually no debate in the scientific
community about the fact that climate change is real and that human activity is
the cause. The only challenge to this is coming from ideological extremists and
corporations that spend money to keep stirring the pot and make it seem as if
there is controversy. By not taking action now we are condemning future
generations to lives of misery and uncertainty as the seas rise and the weather
becomes more violent and unpredictable. Millions and millions of people living
along the world’s coastlines will eventually be uprooted, forcing them to find
new places to live and putting them into conflict with established populations
for scarce food and water.
5. Gun control
This is one of the most difficult yet most needed reforms on
the list. Every week there is a new mass shooting somewhere in America. It is
simply too easy for deranged, angry, violent, psychotic individuals to get
their hands on firearms. No other country on earth allows this kind of madness.
We need to have the courage to pass serious gun control legislation that will
help stem the violence we have unfortunately come to take for granted.
6. Decriminalize drug use (yes, all drugs)
7. Universal healthcare
8. Net neutrality
9. Term limits for Supreme Court judges
10. Government inspired national push for practical
alternative clean energy sources that will help us become energy independent
11. A revitalization of public education
12. Affordable higher education
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