As change moves closer to us, the role of government in society will be discussed. But we have nothing to fear, in fact we should welcome this role, providing that this government represents the people, not corrupt and greedy corporations and the elected officials they bought.
Obama is ushering in a movement that's bigger than his limitations and those of the Democratic party. By virtue of being based on the young, this movement looks toward the future and does not seek a nostalgic return to a “glorious” past.
I think the time is ripe for rescuing the concept of socialism, reclaiming it from the dogmatic marxists, the bankrupt communist and two-bit tyrants who’ve used it, abused it and given it a bad name. I think we can analyze the idea of socialism, understand it and adapt it to the times.
And am talking about building a society that’s more just, protects the weak, punishes the criminal, and guarantees every one equal opportunity. Regardless of race and gender.
This transformation must be based on a modern Social Contract. Unlike that espoused by Rousseau, this Social Contract must come from the bottom up. From the family unit, to the community level, and on up to the government body. A basic premise are the fundamental changes that the world of have undergone, making it a far different (more dangerous and yet more manageable if armed with the right approach) than that of 50, 100, 150 and 200 years ago.
If we look back into the genesis of this great nature, we really share very little with the founding fathers, those slave-owning gentlemen in pantyhose and buckled shoes that created a state that would preserve their privileges over their extensive property, slaves and women. Their ideals sounded lofty back in those days, but seriously they represented something else. Having said that, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to these Founding Fathers
We're also very different than those people who killed each other brutally during the Civil War of the 1860s. We look differently, speak differently, make our living in different ways, enjoy ourselves. And their hopes, fears, wishes and expectations and closer to that of the Founding Fathers than to those of us, who have learned to leverage the blackberry, ipod, computer, internet to learn faster, communicate better. And change the world.
Not to mention how different we are from the Great Generation, heroic perhaps to the degree they fought in WWII, but also who a docile herd who allowed for the government to create (and use) the means of destroying life itself. And allowed for this nation to become an imperial power, one that has tremendous pain and destruction all over the world. (And yes, American bombs killed innocent civilians overseas, and yes we should demand an end to that.)
This new generation, that of 18-34 are radically different than any previous generations. I believe that if todays18 to 34 year-olds had been around, as politically conscious and technologically savvy, there wouldn't have been a Bush War in Iraq. Because the people (including the leadership of the Democratic party Bill and Hillary) who relinquished their social responsibility and allowed the invasion of nation that had nothing to do with 9/11 were the older Americans, content, fearful, obese physically and through a drug-induced disregard for anything other than a 48 inch HD TV set. Fearful people who clinged to their guns and prejudices.
It is my humble opinion that this mass of young people should start becoming familiar with the concept of socialism. A modern, hitec, system where human needs are far more important than the profits of corporations. Where race and gender will not stop you from achieving anything because the movement will represent the changing racial composition of a multiethnic America and both genders have equal stakes in the outcome.
And economic opportunity should be a pillar of this democratic socialism. What good is it to have the best medical care in the world, if you cannot enjoy it? It's simply cruel to have a sick person denied available treatment because they can’t afford it. Millions of times worse than a hungry child looking through a glass display.
What good is it to have amazing educational institutions, with endowments the size of the GNPs of many nations, resources that the brightest minds throughout history could only have dreamed of, if access is denied to most, and the lucky few to pass through the gates of knowledge end up forced to work as indentured servants for years to pay back.
Why do we spend billions on weapons on mass destruction and yet our classrooms lack adequate everything. From being to crowded to having crummy obsolete equipment. And many children go to school hungry.
And the list could go, everyone here knows what am talking about. If not, take a walk, go to the neighborhood, see the closed businesses, the foreclosed homes, the shelters filled to capacity. See how we treat the elderly and the frail. This lack of totalitarianism, complete absence of economic democracy is everywhere. And we should be ashamed of ourselves.
As a country, as a nation, as a people we can do far better. We owe to our parents and our children.
So I'm hoping to see a left wing develop within the Democratic Party, that channels the tremendous energy that will make Senator Obama the first non Caucasian President.
And this movement should question everything. And I mean everything. We will have the numbers to make our power be felt. Our agenda should go to the root of the problems:
- Domestically, why should CEOs make one 1000 times more most some workers in their companies and why should they leave with the so-called Golden Parachute? Who decides who gets fired and who stays, let's make it democratic.
- Why do we allow lobbyists more power than common citizens?
- Why do we have to spend so much money on the military? Many are getting rich and it ain’t me.
- What about the repressive side of the state, all the institutions that spy on people and suffice them to label someone a terrorist for that person to lose their Habeas Corpus rights?
- Internationally. It would be fair to say that most in the Muslim world despises America. That doesn't mean that they want to become terrorists, what it means is that we need to see what their grievances are that led them to where they are. And those grievances include our blind support for Israel. Why is it that the minute someone questions blind support for Israel, one is called Anti-Semitic. Israel has become a sacred cow that no one dares question. Few people remember that Ariel Sharon (in a coma for several years now) was a key instigator of the Iraq debacle. Let’s discuss Israel as well.
- Let's discuss the Bush administration. Let's find the culprits of the economic, political and military mess which they've left behind. And let's prosecute them for the criminals they are. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Naive I am not and am fully aware that the world socialism turns people off. Remember that punk on one of the televised McCain town hall meetings, saying “I’m afraid we’re becoming socialist”
I'm an advertising guy so I know that a bad label can kill a product -- no matter how good it is and how much proof we have people will love it. So changing the name is a good idea, and we could find a name that people can identify with. So perhaps instead of calling ourselves socialists, we can find a name universally liked: Peanut Butter. We could be the Peanut Butter Tendency of the Democratic Party!!!
And if this is treason, or even class warfare, let’s make the most of it.