Once the primaries are over, the political campaign I’m looking forward to is the challenger who is set on rebuilding all socio-political, and diplomatic-war fronts. If Clinton is correct that it is better to be wrong and strong then it follows that is better to be right and stronger across the entire political spectrum. Above all, the challenger should not give a litany of social programs that are little more than sound bites. The public does not want to hear about prescription drugs, social security lock box, balancing the budget, minimum wage, welfare, extending unemployment insurance, tax-cuts for the rich, payroll tax moratoriums, tax rebates, ad nauseam. What should be heard is how the challenger is going to come up with a master plan preserving and enhancing the commonwealth that will holistically address these issues.
The nation needs a bath — scrubbing away all the ado about nothing and start from scratch. The nation is at war on two fronts; one may be over soon, but the war on terrorism is long range and a top priority. However, we cannot be misled into believing that it is an overseas war; on the contrary, it is primarily homeland defense. Consequently we need to secure our borders and protect our infrastructure and man/woman power must be increased regardless of costs. Every high school graduate not bound for college or highschool drop out eighteen years old or more — and not enlisting in the armed services — must sign up for nine months of local civil defense or community service and receive from the homeland security department a reasonable stipend. Assignments would consist of on the job training at all forms of shipping and transportation centers, emergency first-aid at hospitals, assisting hotlines for fire and police departments, and/or participation in — from child care and head start to other community needs to free up others to do more in security measures. Students who are college bound must satisfy two years of part time community service — preferably in security — either off-campus or during summer breaks in their home town.
From unemployment ranks, the homeland security department should conscript two million unmarried, unskilled 18-25 years old for no more than two years into the Army and Coastguard for basic training and subsequent patrolling shores, borders and ports of entry.
The armed services should be redesigned for swift strategic action against terrorism directly affecting security of the nation, and substantiated by probable cause secured from an international Intelligence network in which the CIA would play a strong participatory role. These actions should be precision operations that would not entail invasion or occupation. Most raids would be predicated on the cooperation of other nations. Since we started it, Afghanistan should be finally secured — including rounding up the war and drug lords — by our troops and a beefed up NATO force . The UN will then keep the peace.
Global fair trade must be a priority for the challenger by pressing for workers’ rights in other nations. American multinational industries overseas and beyond borders must produce at least 50% of their output for international consumption, and be subjected to tariffs to export back to the US. Foreign industry in the United States must manufacture 75% of its product here and within five years 90%. Asian traders must phase out goods to the United States at an attrition rate of 10% per year for seven years or face stiff tariffs; their respective governments — with aid from Europe, Japan and the United States — should initiate their own Marshall plans to develop modernity and enterprise for their own people. Europe and the United States must initiate a Marshall plan for non-Islamic African nations in developing their own self sustaining economies and neighboring trade. A phase out of Middle East oil will begin by building partnerships with Russia, Uzbekistan, North Atlantic oil, and join with nations of the western hemisphere to develop and keep oil and gas within the hemisphere’s own consumption.
The challenger should advocate an initiative to protect the environment pragmatically and call for massive sums to realize once and for all alternative energy. If oil needs cannot be met by exploration and dealings in our own hemisphere and non-OPEC nations, ANWR will be considered under the strictest energy department and environmental divisions oversight while determining if drilling is worthwhile.
As part of a National Reconstruction Assault, the challenger will call upon the American industry — and with federal assistance — to restore its base by modernizing factories and building new ones with the latest technology and environmental safeguards with the ultimate aim of recovering manufacturing jobs and regaining industrial leadership within US borders.
Thus, the coming campaign should be about new directions toward a fairer and safer nation.
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: February 1, 2004.