With all the Sturm und Drang this week about our presidential candidate, it's worth stepping back to remember what is at stake on Election Day.
There are major pressing issues facing our state and our country right now:
We've got a really rocky road ahead of us. There are three major crisis facing our country -- I measure candidates for office against their willingness to acknowledge and address these issues.
A: A rapid responsible end of our occupation of Iraq. This will free up our time, treasure, and talent to deal with the other major crises hitting our country, including the major economic crises that our deficit war spending is making much worse.
B: Immediately address human contributions to the global climate change crisis. The sooner we stop spending money on energy sources that make the problems worse, the sooner we move to solutions that address the serious problems ahead, the less severe our future consequences. (Energy independence is not the same issue.)
C: The need for universal single-payer healthcare for all United States citizens so we can enjoy labor mobility, economic security and future prosperity. It is a moral failing of our country that individuals are bankrupt by healthcare costs and are turned away at hospitals for lack of insurance.
For those who wonder, what will an Obama presidency bring, here (via Kos) is the most succinct answer I've seen yet (emphasis mine):
WENNER: "Is there a marker you would lay down at the end of your first term where you say, 'If this has happened or not happened, I would consider it a negative mark on my governance'?"
OBAMA: "If I haven't gotten combat troops out of Iraq, passed universal health care and created a new energy policy that speaks to our dependence on foreign oil and deals seriously with global warming, then we've missed the boat. Those are three big jobs, so it's going to require a lot of attention and imagination, and it's going to require the American people feeling inspired enough that they're prepared to take on these big challenges."
That's music to my ears.
Of course, it's not enough for us to cheer on Obama from the sidelines, celebrate a historic inauguration and relax. Addressing crises does not come cheap nor easy. He will face relentless pressure to maintain the status quo.
We can each work hard to build support for these progressive policies and help elect more Democrats to Congress so an Obama administration will have the votes necessary to enact those policies. |
