When the President Is Dem:

FROM DU: What Would America Look Like If DUers Ran the Country?

Be specific and try to state how we can make that happen. For example, free health care. What would it look like (no private insurance? tiered system?) and how would it be funded? I see so much complaining about how things are run, how about some positive, constructive thoughts for a change. (prolesunited)

The DU Rx:

--Yes, free health care for all... and I would fund it by changing the tax rate for the very rich by having them pay the same rate as the rest of us. I would also change how we finance campaigns by making Clean Money the law of the land. Of course, I would end our participation in the Iraq mess by bringing our troops home. And I would greatly reduce the money going to the armed services.

--There would be: universal health care, gay marriage, diplomacy and less military spending, a social safety net, equal rights for all.

--Clearly the Iraq war would be on its way out. Taxes on Legal Grass would Finance Single payer Healthcare for All.

--Can we find a way to erradicate meaness? Shut down all corporate polluters, the corporate farmers and coal factories, first target. We are seriously 'screwn' if our food/air/water sources are all contaminated. Corporations that outsource would have to pay a good living wage to the workers in the country. Corporations would be levied large taxes for any profits made from outsourced work. A living wage for all. Health care for all. Corporate "personhood" would be shoved up the ass... Anyone that can start a war, or their family, friends and cronies, CANNOT PROFIT FROM ANY WAR! A Council of Citizens, by lottery?

--Use our money wisely, everybody happy.

--Equal rights for ALL - no exceptions. And by "equal rights" I mean:

-healthcare, marriage, serious prosecution of harassment and hate crimes, human rights for all, including those labeled as terrorists, enemy combatants, convicts, immigrants, the poor, and everyone else the world likes to ignore. An eventual breakdown of the corporate stranglehold on everything. The PEOPLE making the big decisions.

--First, begin immediately to withdraw American troops from Iraq. Next I would immediately ask congress to begin following the constitution and repeal the Patriot Act. I would tell the nation that the so-called war on Terror is as much a fraud as the 50-year cold war was (used by politicians to promote scare tactics). I would pursue those who really did have an active part in 9/11 and begin a dialogue with our enemies as a way of decreasing the chances of a "terror attack." If we begin respecting others who disagree with us and find understanding with them maybe they wouldn't want to kill us.

Next, I would put a "windfall profits tax" on oil companies which are enjoying record profits. With that extra money we could begin a major restructure of our infrastructure in this country which is collapsing. We could repair/build bridges, roads. We also need to put a major effort into rebuilding N.O., Louisiana. We cannot let a major American city die.

Along with providing health care for all Americans we have to make sure that this country offers every American a "living wage." Who can live on $5.80 per hour or whatever the new minimum wage is? I would immediately ask congress to provide a minimum wage of at least $10 per hour--which is still too low.

--The single biggest positive change- smaller military. Don't antagonize the world. Probably the easiest and most beneficial thing to do is stop spending on the military.

--America would not be run by fascists as it is today.

--Single-payer health care, advanced high speed mass transit, single-payer public universities.

--We would be used as a model to emulate much like France, Germany, and Japan are envied for the schools, mass transit systems, and health care systems.

--If I had the reins of power for a day, one domestic program that I would institute would be making education a priority. If young people can attend K thru 12 for free, then it would seem that further education should be a similar option.

--NO Diebold/Ban Corporate Personhood/change campaign election donations/media coverage rules.

--Thank you... Exactly the type of answer I was looking for.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1569036

I hope everyone finds the time to read this paean to hippy nonsense. This is what the best DU minds' want and expect from our government. This is their mandate.

They haven't got a clue about what is important; we're at war but not one of them mentions having a strong national defense. Not one of them mentions having good relations with our allies. Not one of them suggests we actually win the war in Iraq. They want state-paid-for nanny care 24/7.

There's no more making a life for yourself, no, they want round-the-clock medical care, education, welfare, and protection from all manner of possible disasters. The DUers want to be as insulated--as cushioned--as possible, and they can only hope that somebody 'out there' will have the funds with which to pay for it.

This is the Entitlement Generation at its worst! Please, please remember this in 2008 when you vote!