Wish List?

by Reaper0Bot0, Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:06:36 PM EST

So, come my next birthday on January 21st, after all of the inaugural balls have come and gone, what's your wish list?  What do we want from our shiny new President and our enlarged majority in both houses of the Congress?  What's your wish list?

Care to see mine?

(These are in no particular order)

1)  An Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube.

  1.  A timely and gradual withdrawal of our forces from Iraq, with some smallish residual remaining (if invited) to assist the Iraqis in training and perhaps limited combat operations.
  2.  A significant increase of our forces in Afghanistan.
  3.  Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri dead or in custody.
  4.  A massive effort to develop alternative sources of energy (nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, alternative forms of ethanol, etc) and an equally massive effort to spur battery technology.
  5.  Multilateral approach to fighting our enemies (Al Qaeda and so forth).
  6.  A fitting successor to one of our finest members of the Supreme Court, Justice Stevens.
  7.  Aggressive funding of international efforts to fight the spread of AIDS that also funds the distribution of condoms.
  8.  Significant reorganization of the EPA and a return to "first principles."  The EPA exists to keep our environment healthy and clean, not just for ourselves but for our children and our environment generally.
  9.  Heavy but fairminded regulation of the energy and finance sectors of our economy.
  10.  Universal healthcare, or as close as we can reasonably achieve.
  11.  A massive effort to care for our veterans.
  12.  A pragmatic and fair assessment of whether or not there is any "clean" use of coal.  If there is - great!  If not, we've gotta work our way off of it.  There's some upsides (low cost and abundant domestic supply) but a whole lotta downsides.
  13.  A restoration of our Constitutional rights, vis a vis the Fourth Amendment (and to a lesser extent the First, see Free Speech Zones).
  14.  An end to Don't Ask Don't Tell.
  15.  An end to federal meddling in state-level medicinal marijuana laws.

I could go on.  This should serve as a decent primer.  Folks, we're fighting for issues that matter!  We have to win because we cannot afford any further backsliding.

What's your wish list?




Tags: Wish List, Policies, January 21st (all tags)

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Tips? (2.00 / 6)

For wishlists?


by Reaper0Bot0 on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:06:51 PM EST

Only if you promise (none / 0)

not to incinerate it.


by JJE on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:16:24 PM EST

Re: Only if you promise (none / 0)

I don't want to murder my Companion Cube.


by Reaper0Bot0 on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:17:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

This one's for you... (2.00 / 1)


by Shaun Appleby on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:39:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Only if you promise (none / 0)

We need to remind you that at the end of the experiment you will be baked, and then there will be cake. I downloaded that game a couple of months ago. Only problem was how short it was.

Oh, and Reaper, you probably won't be getting the Weighted Companion Cube for your birthday. Portal 2 isn't due in 2008 or early 2009. They want the next version to be as revolutionary as the first.


by TCQuad on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:28:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Only if you promise (2.00 / 1)


by Shaun Appleby on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:14:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Only if you promise (2.00 / 1)

I bought those for my girlfriend last year.

She adores them.  


by Reaper0Bot0 on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:33:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Only if you promise (none / 0)

Of course!


by Shaun Appleby on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:42:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 3)

At the moment all I can promise you is an e-card.

But if all my friends get together in November we could pitch in & get you something a whole lot better.


January 20 & sricki join with The engels in love!
by January 20 on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:16:28 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 3)

Great list, I totally agree.

I'd like to add 'full equality' as 'whole' citizens for GLBT folks.

But I know I might as well wish for 'whirled peas'.


Hell's bells, even the GOP didn't have to crucify Eisenhower's record in order to make Reagan their 'saint'. We can have two great ones, you know?
by emsprater on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:17:59 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 2)

The Enrichment Center reminds you that the Weighted Companion Cube cannot speak. In the event that it does speak, we urge you to disregard it's advice.


And so, may evil beware and may good dress warmly and eat lots of fresh vegetables.
by thatpurplestuff on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:21:16 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 2)

You really have to wonder what happened between the prior test subjects and the other Companion Cubes...


by Reaper0Bot0 on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:22:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

It doesn't get talked about much anymore nor does is it mentioned in anything more than a soundbite.

I want Osama Bin Laden (alive) and locked up.  

I want his ass paraded around NYC.

I want 1 minute ALONE with that motherfucker.

I'd rather they bring his head on a plate but I don't want him turning into some kind of martyr.

I fucking loathe Bin Laden.


We want to see Ivana [Trump] because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture. - Sarah Palin
by spacemanspiff on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:22:16 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (none / 0)

al Zawahiri could spend some time in PMITA Federal Pen, I would think.


by Reaper0Bot0 on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:23:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (none / 0)

Sorry about the typos. MyDD'rs who know me can tell I just got off another one of those dreaded 24 hour shifts.

I'm hitting the sack pretty soon.


We want to see Ivana [Trump] because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture. - Sarah Palin
by spacemanspiff on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:23:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (none / 0)

Then we should have accepted the offer of the Caliph of Mecca to nullify his Islam while we had the chance.  He would shrivel up and die on his own in that instance.


by Shaun Appleby on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 03:02:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

I know you say that your birthday isn't until January, but I really felt I should give you this friendly reminder.  

Don't forget, the cake is a lie.


by hello world on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:33:42 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 2)

That's what the t-shirt I'm wearing says.

Seriously.


by Reaper0Bot0 on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:35:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

All good items, but I'd replace #16 with legalization and regulation of marijuana.


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:56:02 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (none / 0)

See, I know all the arguments in favor of marijuana legalization and even agree with most of them, at least theoretically. But at the same time, I simply can't imagine walking into the corner store to buy milk and seeing people buy joints. That's one of the reasons I support decriminalization over legalization.


by rayj on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:01:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

I simply can't imagine walking into the corner store to buy milk and seeing people buy joints.
Why not? You walk into the store and see people buying beer and wine and cigarettes don't you?

Decriminalization will leave the smugglers and bulk drug dealers in place. The only way to break the back of the drug dealers involvement in marijuana is to legalize it and tax it. Marijuana can be grown at very little cost. Even with a tax on it the cost of legal marijuana would be low enough to take away the illegal market's profit in the trade. Then the tax money could be used for treatment programs for harder drugs.


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:07:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (none / 0)

Yeah. The "what about cigarettes and alcohol?!" reply is something I should have addressed originally, since that's one of the things that I agree with theoretically. It's much more of a personal objection, I guess.

It's very true that both of them are just as bad as pot, but I don't think that that is a sufficient reason to legalize pot. We are stuck with them. After all, we already tried to ban alcohol once and that...uh, didn't work out so well. But just because we are stuck with them, doesn't mean we should automatically start selling pot. Going by that logic, why not legalize cocaine, heroine, and ecstasy as well?  

This actually happens to be Obama's position as well (in 2004 at least) when he said: "I think we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws, but I'm not somebody who believes in legalization of marijuana."


by rayj on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:24:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

You point out that we already tried to ban alcohol yet don't seem to see the similarities with marijuana. We have far too many people in jail in this country for marijuana violations. It's time to put a stop to that.

There are some legitimate arguments for legalizing all drugs. I don't agree with those arguments, but I do think marijuana should be legalized.

Apparently, this is one other area where I don't agree with Obama. It's not the only one. It won't be the last. I still agree with him on far more issues than I disagree with him on.


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:35:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The argument is that (2.00 / 1)

marijuana use is not likely to be, in the aggregate, nearly as destructive as heroin or cocaine, but is more akin to tobacco or alcohol in terms of health risks and social cost of abuse.  And just as the cost of enforcement of prohibition outweighed the benefits of deterrence for alcohol, so do the social costs of enforcement of marijuana prohibition outweigh the likely social costs of increased use that would result from legalization.


by JJE on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 11:58:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The argument is that (none / 0)

I worked a 24 hour shift, had a light cat nap and toked up.

Relaxes my muscles, clear the mind and let's me go to work with no ill effects tomorrow. It's not healthy at all but I'd rather get baked than get drunk. The only damage done is to my esophagus and maybe the lungs. I'm getting a vaporizer to take care of some of the carcinogens in the smoke so I'll keep you folks updated on that.

Marijuana should be legalized. Period.


We want to see Ivana [Trump] because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture. - Sarah Palin
by spacemanspiff on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 01:19:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

What about cigarettes or beer? (none / 0)

That's what I don't understand.  Those are both just as bad, probably worse.


by JJE on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:09:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

i knida know what you mean... (2.00 / 1)

in my province you can't but alcohol anywhere but at the liquor stores.  so when i go to the states and can buy diapers, green peppers and a bottle of grey goose - it tickles me pink!


"Me Fail English? That's Unpossible." Ralph Wiggum
by canadian gal on Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 12:16:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (none / 0)

Universal health care with mandates is quite possibly the most important thing that President Obama can do during his (hopefully) two terms.


by rayj on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 09:58:30 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

Addendums:

Get rid of No Child Left Behind and fix the educational system properly. Of, if you can't do that right away, at least start funding it properly. And if you're going to use standarized test scores, start doing some decent statistics on them to guage progress, so the schools can deal with special-needs students who have been mainstreamed. The current stats are very blunt and ineffective.

Increase funding to the NIH. Fundamental science makes insight which makes breakthroughs which makes cures. (Slight bias note: scientist funded by the NIH. Slightly bigger bias note: while I have NIH funding, I know of many very very very good projects not my own that barely missed the funding threshold or were underfunded).

Refocusing anti-terrorism efforts from useless and showy (no-fly list) to more productive (international coordination).

To fill the void between nothing and universal health care: universal crisis health care. Basically, don't worry about the little things that most people can handle and others get assistance for. Worry about the expenses associated with the big ones (accidents, heart attacks, etc.) that cause people to go bankrupt. Get people used to the idea that hospitals should be like fire departments and police stations: places where anyone should be able to go to get help.

Stop the stupid useless tax cuts and fix the economy. Get some economists if that's what is required. Balance the budget. Repair the dollar. In 2 years, the dollar has gone from 1 euro = 1.25 dollars to now 1.6. In that time, oil has gone from $60 to $140. That means that about $30 of the cost of oil has come from the devaluation of the dollar. Fix that (no small task, obviously), then end the Enron loophole... Hey, look, affordable oil again!

After we get affordable oil (so people don't freeze to death during the winters), figure out a way to stop using oil.

Fix the campaign finance reform system to muzzle 527s. Give them per-person limits as well. Also, ditch "Victory Funds". I understand where Obama's simply raising for the DNC and himself, but the way McCain's using it will inevitably lead to bad places. Look at it simply: the campaign controls the victory fund, which controls where the money is going. What is the difference between giving money to a state fund to run your ad and running an ad in a state yourself? Besides the fact the former has a donation limit of $10k and the latter has one of $2.3k...

That's all I can think of at the moment.


by TCQuad on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:16:14 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

Almost forgot: ditch the Defense of Marriage Act's legacy, at least on the federal level. Make all institutions (civil unions, domestic partnerships, marriages) equivalent for federal rights and protections.

Then cause the Republicans' heads to explode by asserting it to be an issue of state's rights.


by TCQuad on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:29:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

card check

funding for mass transit systems

enforcement of product safety standards, particularly on imports

revision of all trade agreements to include standards on labor practices

tax incentives to hire Americans

Edwards turned loose on corporates as AG


Sexism is real.
by grassrootsorganizer on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:36:31 PM EST

Re: Wish List? (2.00 / 1)

the END of No Child Left Behind and full funding of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA)


by elie on Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 10:55:24 PM EST


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