non-ecumenical ramblings

Forgot to include ending gerrymandering. Read recently that even if Arnold wins his argument & the redistricting goes to courts to decide that the effect would not be that dramatic given how our population has segregated itself into blue-red enclaves (article suggested voting for a slate, i.e. the top 2 vote getters get elected - never heard of that in the US, but the article had some example). Still even a partial effect would be helpful. What's amazing about the House to me is that the GOP margin isn't huge, but even a 20 person majority has a huge impact in the House.

So what should the Dems push for:

1. Full funding of Nunn-Lugar. It's amazing to me that the US has put so little energy into securing nuclear material around the globe. To me it's a no-brainer. It ensures our safety & resonates with the public.
2. Push for medical marijuana. There has to be some tipping point at which folks realize how foolish & destructive our war is & medical marijuana does resonate with the populace.
3. End indefinite detentions & kidnapping & torture. It's easy to look away, but believe Americans in general are uneasy with how cavalier we've been towards human rights.
4. Revoke Executive Order 13233...ok this one probably doesn't resonate, but put in terms of the secrecy of this White House & how a government should be transparent to the public it serves, this might have some traction.
5. Push for gay civil unions. Looks like the majority of the populace will support civil unions, but not gay marriage.
6. Kill funding for Cold War relics. Here's a list of weapon systems in addition to the F-22. These are never easy fights - each congressman wants pork to his area, but a fight worth having. Frame that argument that we need to be developing the next generation Predator or the next generation A-10. Those are the weapons of the future.
7. Push for approval of the Doha round. Looking at what I can find makes it look like it's on quasi-hold until next year. Have not heard of any replacement for Zoellick...looks like there's an acting replacement. Given that i haven't heard anything about him or Doha, it looks like an opening for the Dems if they knock off the protectionist nonsense. Hope that learn from this last election, that protectionism is not a winner with the populace.
8. Federalism. I realize that the term States Rights was abused by the south to mean "we will not obey the 14th or 15th amendments", but I am a believer in the 9th & 10th amendments - neither of which has any remaining meaning. Perhaps that's inevitable as a nation-state develops, but still disappointing.
9. Pay-Go. Worked before, let's push for it again. The libertarians & fiscal conservatives aren't real happy with the profligate spending under Bush, so let's court them.
10. End to gerrymandering.

Folks have been discussing the Goldwater election because that's when the GOP lost, but decided what it stood for (sort of - not sure how conservative Nixon really was, but he was a Cold Warrior). The Dems in this last election were disappointing. We won't nominate our staunch hawk Lieberman and we won't nominate our true peace candidate Kucinich. Neither ever obtained more than 10% of the vote. Let's go for someone who "won't lose". He voted for the war, but isn't really for it. Not a strong proponent of any of the hot button issues - in actuality a watered down candidate.

Back to the theme of yesterday's posting - it is time for left bloggers to promote new or quasi-new ideas and new faces, and to investigate whether Warner or Bredesen has what it takes to go national so hope to see the left blogosphere take up the challenge.