Where do we go from here?
- From: Harry Hope <rivrvu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:50:25 -0500
http://www.timesargus.com/article/20081226/OPINION04/812260343
December 26, 2008
Where do we go from here?
By Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
When Barack Obama is sworn in as president of the United States on
Jan. 20, he will inherit a series of problems more severe than at any
time since the Great Depression.
Here are just a few of the issues that he, the Congress and all
Americans must confront:
The middle class is continuing its steep decline with unemployment
soaring, and millions of people in danger of losing their homes,
savings and health insurance.
The dream of a college education is fading away for many working
families as college costs go up while incomes go down.
This year, as a result of the economic downturn, the bailout of Wall
Street, ongoing tax breaks for the very rich and the war in Iraq, our
nation will have a record-breaking deficit and a huge $10.4 trillion
dollar national debt.
As a result of Wall Street greed, recklessness and dishonesty, our
entire financial system is in danger of collapsing.
The taxpayers of this country have seen trillions of their dollars
placed at risk in the largest bailout in world history.
Our health care system is disintegrating.
Despite spending far more per capita than any other country, 47
million Americans have no health insurance, even more are underinsured
and we pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs.
We are currently involved in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which cost
us not only the lives and well-being of our soldiers, but over $10
billion a month.
These wars are also stretching the Army and our National Guard to the
breaking point.
Despite the reality of global warming we have not broken our
dependency on fossil fuel and foreign oil, and have made only slight
advances in moving toward energy efficiency and sustainable energy.
Those are some of our problems.
There are solutions.
Where do we go from here?
The very good news is that we are finally seeing the end of the most
incompetent and reactionary administration in the modern history of
this country.
It is my hope and expectation that, in very short order, President
Obama will begin moving this country in a very different direction
from where Bush has led us, and I look forward to working with him in
that effort.
The time is long overdue for the U.S. government to begin representing
the needs of our middle-class and working families, and not just the
greedy, the wealthy and the powerful.
Here are some of the initiatives that I will be fighting for as soon
as the new Congress reconvenes in January:
# A major economic recovery program which invests at least $400
billion in each of the next two years to create millions of
good-paying jobs rebuilding our infrastructure and moving us toward
energy independence, sustainable energy and energy efficiency.
In Vermont and throughout the country our roads and bridges are
crumbling, our water systems and wastewater plants need major repair
and older schools need to be modernized.
Millions of homes and buildings are wasting huge amounts of energy and
need to be properly weatherized, and we must be aggressive in
improving and expanding our public transportation.
Further, we now have the opportunity to create many new jobs by
advancing such renewable technologies as wind, solar, geothermal and
biomass.
# An investigation as to how the greed and recklessness of Wall Street
financiers caused the greatest financial collapse since the 1920s.
Those who are responsible for this debacle must be held accountable,
and not be allowed to walk away with huge fortunes while the middle
class bails them out.
Most importantly, we must build a new financial system which
discourages short-term and reckless profiteering and reestablishes
proper governmental safeguards and regulations.
# Legislation to provide health care to every man, woman and child as
a right of citizenship.
In addition, we need to greatly expand our primary health care
capabilities by educating and sending more doctors, nurses, dentists
and other health professionals into rural areas and other medically
underserved parts of our country.
# An orderly process to bring our troops home from Iraq as soon as
possible.
We also need a national conversation about the best way to proceed in
Afghanistan.
Vermonters often ask me whether I am pessimistic about the future of
our country.
My honest answer is that I am not.
Difficult times often bring out the best in people.
Now, in this moment of great national crisis, I am confident that with
new national leadership and strong grass-roots participation we can
come together and create the kind of nation that all of us know
America can be.
___________________________________________________
Thanks, Senator Sanders. We need you now more than ever.
Harry
.
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