Rather than letting people in DC determine what they want I decided to sit down and think what I would like to see in our future. Even though I am an expat, and no, it is not because I hate America and has to do with many things; chief of among them love.
However for both Marie-Louise and myself moving to the US would bring us closer to our families; hers in Martinique and mine in the North East. Federal law does not recognize our civil union, so for the time being repatriation is out of the question.
Now that is out the way rather than moaning about what is not being done I would like to propose what I would like to see being done.
8 little goals after the hop:
1] Civil Rights.
There are no reasonable objections possible to allowing all Americans independent of race, gender, or sexual orientation for not having the same civil rights. This goes for wages, marriage and service to country. In essence I have no problems with polygamy or polyandry, if all parties concerned are happy with the system and are adults and of the same species. Protections and legislation should merely point these rights out as being fact, and any breech should be punished accordingly.
2] Education.
Education should be free [financed by taxation] and open to all, programs should be adapted to those with learning disabilities. I am dyslexic to such a point that it has taken many years and tests to overcome my disability, I am typing this diary looking through a violet filter built into my glasses. Through specialist education early on my disability became an advantage as I can scan read at breathtaking speed; although I still make hilarious mistakes, but education helps me spot the anomalies [usually]. Education is vital to building a strong and vibrant nation and I believe everyone has a talent; finding it is the trick. Universities are for some and vocational training for others, this variety makes us great as all skills are vital: From artist to engineer, from lawyer to doctor, from carpenter to farmer, from laborer to investor, we all play an important part of the wealth and health of the nation.
3] Health Care.
Health care should be affordable, a public option is a minimum to keep the health care industrial complex under some control. Why shouldn't the State compete with the private sector if it means cheaper and better health care for all? I refuse to believe the richest country on earth can just sit back and watch it citizens sink into bankruptcy, or die from lack of care. I'm a strong believer in preventative health care it may be expensive but what is the cost of unnecessary suffering. Educating everyone to look after themselves, and informing them early when they do not only makes sense. Obesity is an easily avoidable condition for many learning how to provide ourselves with the best diet we can will only improve our sense of well-being.
4] Infra structure.
We need our road, rail, energy network and city planning to be efficient and secure and designed to our needs. Investing in where we live and the services we all depend on is logical yet we have neglected this duty for many years. It is a stable and effective generator of jobs, and it only logical we pay our share in its upkeep. 9.8% unemployment when everywhere I look there is decay, is this even remotely sensible?
5] Green Economy.
Whether you accept the reality of climate change or are merely a confused climate zombie there is no reason on earth not to embrace clean and renewable energy. Think of it as reaching for the stars; think of it as a technological race to prove that we are in fact the best, and if we are not; at least we attract the best and brightest to our shores. I think of it as a regenerating agent and can ensure all our futures both in our independence and quality of life. Is it so wrong to dream of a cleaner world?
6] Retirement and Social Security
After many years work are we not entitled to some rest and quality time before we go into the great unknown. If we have done our work well then the weight of our need in our final years should be light on the following generations shoulders. For those whose work lays heavy on their bodies earlier retirement should be the norm, for those less physically abused slightly longer may be required, and for those who just love what they do the opportunity to keep on doing their work. What is so hard in being reasonable, what is so wrong that we all pay into a common fund guarded by our government and hence the nation?
7] Defense.
Do we really need to be able to obliterate the world as a defensive measure, its seems somewhat of an oxymoron. How many nuclear weapons do we really need to deter? Personally I find one such weapon terrifying enough. Do we really need standing armies across the globe? Hasn't this got us into more trouble than when we didn't. Do we really need a monstrous standing army armed to the teeth with the latest Pentagon fetish? We have never had a problem arming ourselves nor finding those willing to serve in the hours of our greatest need, has anything really changed since then? The money we can save in this one sector is enough to fund almost everything else we could desire, so why not change the game plan? Space exploration, why not?
8] Tax code
Raising taxes serves one goal, to make everyone's life in our nation better, it's really quite simple part of our wealth gets invested into the services we all depend upon to make our life easier and more secure. Why let only a few have this privilege. The wealth we generate as a nation should be shared in the nation we all have invested our lives and work to create; nobody is special enough to have sole rights in this.
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Nothing I have said is original nor extreme, to me its basic common sense, we all have but one planet; our objective should be to have the best we can for us and future generations. Greed has no place in my dream, does it in yours?