(New and Improved) TEN GOVERNING PRIORITIES FOR OBAMA’S NEXT FOUR YEARS

[ancianita]

1. End the filibuster. Even if only for the 113th session.

2. Spend down the Corporate Military Complex -- Set new, relevant qualifying standards for weapons manufacturers and supply contractors willing to adapt; have any resisting old school war complex shut down or, at the least, move their wares elsewhere as a new major industry outsource. End no-bid and secret bid federal contracting.

3. Keep the Democratic Party's minority coalitions engaged in politics. Enfold the Greens. Reward The Democratic Base. Keep up active citizenship. Keep Axelrod and the OFA campaign structure running to Sell New Legislation. The prez is not very concerned with being "the president of explaining things," so he should use the help he's got. Clinton can't continue indefinitely.

4. Begin a Green Manhattan Project to create green manufacturing and legislate climate change standards, and the international trade that goes with it. Turn American politics to Green Politics and Green Worker Development. With wind, solar, oceanic sources, all of it.

5. Reform the financial world and the international trade that goes with it. Re-charter the Fed with a) a major overhaul of Federal Reserve Law, b) IRS codes on offshore tax haven elimination, c) increased regulation of hedge funds and d) capital gains and other tax laws.

6. Implement the University of Chicago's Lab School -- or any high performing private school -- Instruction/Learning model for America's public schools -- it is much better than Arne Duncan's model. Duncan’s kids went there, and honest leaders want the same for children as if they were the leader's own. Best option: fire Arne Duncan and appoint E.D. Hirsh and Jonathan Kozol.

7. Close Guantanamo. End drone strikes until there is comprehensive and sufficient national and congressional review of all current "missions." Solidify and strengthen civilian command of all military structure and processes. End the rogue military-industrial-congressional complex.

8. Swear in new SCOTUS judges. Reverse Citizens United. Send a Public Finance and Mandatory Voting Amendment to states for ratification.

9. Appoint an AG whose job parameter is to indict -- with mandatory jail time -- each and every elected official who orders any police suppression -- by harrassment or physical force -- any and all peaceful protesters within USA borders. Make enforcement of citizens' exercise of constitutional rights one of the DOJ's top three stated priorities to America.

10. Review and/or rescind altogether unconstitutional laws that erode citizens’ constitutional rights under the Patriot Act to the NDAA. Reinstate and strengthen constitutional support in all states.

[quinnox]

1. comments -

1. Hmm, I would have to think about it, maybe unpleasant ramifications of this action, at the same time, I can understand why this would seem a positive move. Not sure about this one.

2. Ok, looks good

3. Not sure what "enfold the Greens means", but the rest sounds good.

4. I'm on board with this one for sure!

5. Ok, not really an expert in this stuff, I guess it sounds good.

6. Don't really know what this is about.

7. Yes, definitely!

8. Onboard.

9. Sounds a wee bit extreme. But I do like the second part of it.

10. YES!!!

[ancianita]

2. Thanks for the detailed response!

[quinnox]

3. no problem, it looks like you put some work into this

nice to see that.

[ancianita]

4. DU has been my abiding inspiration.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. I think "enfold the Greens" means

"meet enough of their concerns so that they don't hesitate to vote for Democrats."

The people who voted for Ralph Nader in 1996 (I was one of them) and 2000 (when I did vote for Gore) were not Republicans trying to sabotage the Dems. They were trying to send a message that Democrats were caving in for the Republicans and adopting Republicanite ideas too much.

The New Deal was created by adopting many ideas from the leftist minority parties of the day. The current Democratic Party seems to want to incorporate ideas from what used to be moderate Republicans.

I don't know anything about the University of Chicago's Lab School, but I do know that while the elites advocate testing, testing, and more testing for the "peasants" and say that class size doesn't matter and want the curriculum to go "back to the basics," they send their own children to schools that are exempt from standardized testing, boast of small classes, and feature highly enriched curricula that go well beyond the basics. (I recall one student from one of the colleges I taught at who complained about the college's required World Civilizations course. "I already had all that at Expensive Private School," he said.)

[ancianita]

8. Your take on the 1%'s non-test learning environment is exactly what I was referring to.

[liberal_at_heart]

10. exactly!

We know how to make successful schools. The rich do it everyday. Small class sizes, enriched curriculum, tutoring, teachers with advanced teaching degrees, and more of a portfolio evaluation than just one standardized test.

[ancianita]

5. Guess you're the only one, quinnox. Otherwise, crickets...?

[navarth]

7. excellent work

sad to say I don't expect to see much of this implemented...sadly.

[ancianita]

9. Maybe more if the filibuster rules at least got revised, even if not thrown out.

Also, much of new legislation in these directions could impress electorates in the upcoming 2014 cycle and create momentum going into the final two years of Obama's term.