A Housecleaning Checklist

Whenever I do a major housecleaning, I find it useful to use a checklist, so I don't forget anything.  Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and their cleanup crews may have already begun this; I just wanted to throw my $.02 in just in case they might have left something off their lists.

Supplies Needed:  rubber gloves, all-purpose disinfectant, air freshener, buckets, sponges, broom, mop, garbage bags, coffee (extra strong), Excedrin, throat lozenges, eye drops, Kleenex (or crying towels for Republicans).

Most of the things at the beginning of this list were on Nancy Pelosi's "drain the swamp" list; It is always best to start with the easy things first, so let's begin...

1.    Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour.

2.    Repeal Bush tax cuts for people who make over $250,000.

3.    Broaden the types of stem cell research allowed with federal funds.

4.    Put new rules in place to "break the link between lobbyists and legislation."

5.    Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

6.    Cut the interest rate on student loans in half.

7.    Set new rules that allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients. (Consider repealing or rewriting the Bush drug company "benefit" plan).

8.    Raise fuel economy (CAFÉ) standards for all future automobiles and trucks.  Increase tax breaks on hybrids and alternate fuel vehicles.  

9.    Reform Social Security by eliminating the ceiling on payments so people earning over $100,000 a year pay the same percent of their income as everyone else.

10.     Set up committees and investigations to deal with the more messy issues, including Iraq, GITMO, Terrorism, Immigration, Spying, Katrina, Energy, Global warming, Health insurance

  Iraq investigations to include:
-    pre-war intelligence
-    American troops sent into battle without adequate equipment.
-    What happened to the missing money (at least $45 billion)?
-    Why no-bid contracts?
-    Where were the plans for the aftermath?
-    A plan to get out.

   GITMO/torture  investigations
-    The Taguba Report and findings
-    CIA Renditions
-    Trials and tribunals for  prisoners at GITMO
-    Torture - memos and regulations

   Terrorism
-      DHS and FBI plans to deal with future attacks
-      Implementing the 9/11 Report recommendations

   Spying and Intelligence
-      The Patriot Act
-      The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) must be re-implemented.

   Katrina and the rebuilding of New Orleans
-    The government response
-    No-bid contracts
-    "Brownie" and other officials
-    The rebuilding plan

   Energy - Plans for the Future
-  An investigation into the Cheney Energy Task Force
-   The KOS group Energize America plan, written up by Jerome a Paris has many excellent suggestions.

   Global Warming
-    The censoring of scientific evidence
-    New initiatives needed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions

   Health Insurance
-     Everyone in a rich country like the US should have access to affordable health care
-      Fix the disastrous Medicare Part D    

Whew, what a horrible mess to clean up.  I'm sure I've left out many important things.  And of course, many of the investigations may lead to other more in-depth investigations including the grounds for an Impeachment investigation.  But, one step at a time.....

•  Tips?

  Or more suggestions for the cleanup team?

  by Anna M on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:22:53 AM PDT

•  It takes a woman too cleanup the house

  She  can  start by cleaning up the House of representive of republican corruption,  Stop the  Whitehouse from sweeping thing under the rug,

  by supremeliberal on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:23:26 AM PDT

  •  It's 90/10 in my house in favor of me! Ha!...

    ...My better half works full time and I'm a [semi] retired stay at home inventor, activist, chief cook and bottle washing house bitch!

    by ImpeachKingBushII on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 08:11:45 AM PDT

•  Under supplies: Don't forget hip boots! n/t

  by ImpeachKingBushII on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:25:25 AM PDT

  •  and gloves and a facemask.

    by jhwygirl on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:37:52 AM PDT

•  Nice job, will take a while to digest though.

  A few things I would add:

  Restore the freaking oversight subcommittee in Armed Services that the GOP eliminated (genius move, that)

  Reform or eliminate the corporate tax dodge that allows corporations to set up shell companies abroad to keep from paying taxes in the US.

  And now that we've won and can't be labeled sore losers--fix the damn election process. I am not against electronic voting, but it has to have a verifiable paper trail!

  by The Eyewitness Muse on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:32:14 AM PDT

  •  yhep that sounds like Pelosi's list! I do

    believe she will come through. I just hope Democrats can stay above the fray and not be the corruptive powder keg Republicans were. If they can stay clean and impliment what we have been hearing, there will be Democratic rule for a long time to come.

    by jmsjoin on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:37:10 AM PDT

    •  Pelosi is in a position to be a historical figure

      and not because she's the first woman speaker.

      Quite honestly, she'll have to say "no" from time to time and do some things that won't please us all.

      But if she fixes the House, gets control of earmarks, keeps the investigations honest, yet thorough--I may be leading a "draft Nancy" parade in '08.

      by The Eyewitness Muse on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:43:09 AM PDT

      •  If Bush and Cheney are impeached

        She would become Madame President according to the Presidential Line of Succession.  Who will be the Dems President pro tempore of the Senate?  He/She would be the next one in line.

        by Anna M on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:50:18 AM PDT

        •  Byrd, I think.

          OMG, even though he was one of my Senators on the day of my birth. And I love him. No.

          by The Eyewitness Muse on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:51:40 AM PDT

        •  According to Wikipedia:

          Direct quote:
          "The President pro tempore of the United States Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Senate and the highest-ranking senator. The Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate ex officio, and thus is the highest-ranking member of the Senate; during his absence, the President pro tempore presides over the Senate.

          The President pro tempore is elected by the Senate; by custom, he is typically the most senior senator in the majority party. Normally, neither the Vice President of the United States nor the President pro tempore presides; instead, the duty is generally delegated to other senators in the majority party. The President pro tempore is third in line of succession to the Presidency.

          The current President pro tempore of the Senate is Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, who has held the office of President pro tempore since January 3, 2003. Stevens' term as President pro tempore will expire at the end of the 109th Congress on January 3, 2007, when Senator Robert Byrd is expected to become the next President pro tempore of the senate." End quote.

          by ImpeachKingBushII on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 08:03:15 AM PDT

      •  It might have been you but if not, one

        of the commentors said it takes a woman to clean house and especially in this case I have to agree!
           I agree with your reply! I must say though that I was never a Pelosi fan but I am impressed with what I have heard so far. Personally I don't believe the country is ready for a woman President especially if it is Hillary.
            Myself I thought we had to have Gore but I believe if Obama runs, he will get elected. uite interesting especially if his VP is Ford.
             Anyway as you said, if Pelosi stays under control and does the job right I think she will do a fine job. At any rate the next 2 years will be very interesting though I am afraid unproductive because of Bushco.

        by jmsjoin on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 08:48:16 AM PDT

  •  Oh yes

    very good ideas, particularly the Election reform - I need to add that to the list.

    by Anna M on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:41:52 AM PDT

  •  You may be surprised to learn...

    ...like I did [to my dismay] that the Senate Armed Services Committee was reduced to "advisory status" under the Bush regime. I found this out the hard way when I tried to submit my IED-proof combat vehicle to the Pentagon: the President's Office of Management and Budget has the final word on all of the weapons procurment programs! No free-lance inventions are getting past Raytheon's iron-clad contract! Great news for our under-armored troops in Iraq though. Right?

    by ImpeachKingBushII on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 08:21:27 AM PDT

•  #2 is NOT on the Pelosi/Rangel list but SHOULD

  and should be #1!

  by John Driscoll on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:33:09 AM PDT

•  An energy policy that will benefit small farmers.

  http://select.nytimes.com/...

  DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Farmers who invested in ethanol plant in Missouri debate whether to accept buyout offers; Mid-Missouri Energy plant that turns corn into ethanol for cars was roaring success when ethanol prices soared to more than $4 a gallon this summer; foreign investors made offers to buy plant, but to many farmers, plant signifies emotional investment in future of their farms and communities, chance for greater independence and sense of pride that they are helping make America less dependent on foreign oil; despite gold rush atmosphere, only two farmer-owned ethanol plants are known to have sold to outsiders; ethanol prices have fallen by half since June and outside investors pester farmers to sell out now, before ethanol market might turn sour; Mid-Missouri's board members chafe at notion of selling out to foreign buyer, fearing what would happen if 'Big Oil' got control of ethanol industry

  by Carbide Bit on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:34:22 AM PDT

  •  You just hit the nail on the head!...

    ...Big Oil wants to control everything under the heading of "energy" so they can continue their monopoly, keep their hands in our pockets and increase their pythonic stranglehold on the American people. "Dependence on foreign oil" is obviously a meaningless talking point and sound byte that camouflages their TRUE intentions. Once again we're going to take it in the shorts!

    by ImpeachKingBushII on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:55:01 AM PDT

•  Real Tax Breaks for the middle class

  A real & tangible tax break for people earning 100k and less. This would drive the economy up and define the gop even further on who they think deserves tax breaks and who doesn't.

  by flatford39 on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:38:46 AM PDT

  •  Do we really need to "re-define" the repubs?n/t

    by ImpeachKingBushII on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:47:30 AM PDT

    •  I think we need to keep defining them as they

      did us. Remember they made liberal a negative term. We need to continue to define them for what they are. Keep them as transparent as we can.

      by flatford39 on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:50:50 AM PDT

•  I like your list but may I suggest...

  1-Repeal tax cuts for the over $100k crowd?
  2-On stem cell research encourage individual private-sector research teams with tax incentives so it will deflate the repub's "we don't want our tax money going for it" blurb that direct funding gets. Maybe a combination of both?
  3-Limiting lobbyists' time in our congressmens' offices to so many hours a month so they have time for their constituents. I never get to talk to mine because he's always "too busy to come to the phone". He's busy all right-selling us out to the highest bidder!
  4-Protecting the Social Security Trust Fund from "arsonists"[Bush]who go around selling "fire insurance" [privatization]when they are the ones "setting the fires" [robbing the fund to pay for Iraq]. A good sturdy lock-box would do just that! If they didn't rob $120-$240billion each year to artificially mask the deficit SS would be in great shape!

  by ImpeachKingBushII on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:43:17 AM PDT

•  Here's a suggestion: survey the government worker

  s for a list of all the Repub political hacks that are unqualified to do their job, plus a suggestion for a replacement that is competent. Out with the bad, in with the good.

  by jfdunphy on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:46:39 AM PDT

•  I think

  you've got to find a way to tame the corporate media (a new type of fairness doctrine?) and put that high up on the list or we're going to have a stiff wind in our face on the way towards driving the public's opinion along with us.

  by isbister on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:51:57 AM PDT

  •  Not just the media

    Maybe it's time to bring back the Sherman Antitrust Act to break up some of these monster corporations, like they did to AT&T back in the 1970's.

    by Anna M on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:57:14 AM PDT

    •  Like the biggest retail monopoly Walmart? n/t

      by ImpeachKingBushII on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 08:06:59 AM PDT

•  Another house to clean -

  While we're at that mess, we have another house to think about, and that is our own.  We have some rotten people in our party, and they need to go to the curb with the rest of the trash.

  by EeDan on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 08:26:33 AM PDT

•  #10: Health Insurance

  We might as well start to frame this now, and "health insurance" just perpetuates the problem. The health insurance industry needs to be eliminated via a single payer system. If we keep talking about health insurance, we're going to end up with some miserable bastard system where government funds are given to insurance companies to manage--the only situation worse than the one we have now.

  Single payer is the only solution.

  by dallasdave on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 10:04:08 AM PDT