ok. regroup. A thread for discussing strategy, or "What do we do NOW"

[Lerkfish]

a container thread for suggestions and strategems with the new reality.

(take a cleansing breath)


ok, begin.



one of my suggestions is that immediately reestablish an oversight dept for war spending and homeland security.
There's no reason only 10% of our cargo is inspected. There's no reason 8 billion dollars cash should disappear in Iraq.
There's no reason Bush's imperial palace, to the tune of billions of dollars doesn't have graft and pork aplenty.

an adjunct is to push forward legislation that we EITHER cease using mercenaries altogether, OR we make them adhere to laws that would govern our military in the same situation.


there's a start. What do you'all have?

[cadmium]

1. investigation and oversight of Iraq war spending and the

supplemental budgets. Look at the flow of money and all the other problems and culprits will be revealed. People understand money.

[pissedoffprogressive]

2. How about

Investigate no bid contracts. What the hell is KBR building detainment camps for?

Quit Outsourcing our army - soldiers paying ungodly prices for goods

Investigate the torture and stop it!! Who is behind it?

ELECTION reform - lying on ads, funding!!

[truedelphi]

7. I will ad heavy dutypenalties for any election

intimidation - dirty tricks, fraud etc

[Greyhound]

3. Immediate (January) review and audit of all no-bid contracts combined

with a performance evaluation, and an emphasis on seeking out criminal conduct.

Top to bottom investigation of the procurement office and its conduct.

Review of FEMA operating procedures and a similar investigation of funding and expenses.

Full public exposure of energy policy and the process leading to its recommendations.

There's a start.

[eridani]

4. Downing Street minutes

Katrina investigation
Reconstitute ethics committee
Minimum wage hike
Get rid of the Military Commissions Act

[pissedoffprogressive]

5. Get rid of Patriot Act and come up with something else!!

:grr:

[Brazenly Liberal]

6. Habeas corpus, posse comitatus, rights to privacy

I want 'em all back. Now. No more taking away my rights for a gain in security that doesn't even really exist. I don't want my phone calls listened to or logged by some geek in the basement of the NSA. I don't want my internet browsing recorded and mulled over by the government. I don't care if I have to take off my shoes to get on a plane, though I think it's a stupid waste of time, but it's nobody'd goddam business if I buy them online.

I want Net neutrality and to raise the minimum wage to at least match the increase in the cost of living since it was last raised.

[1932]

8. Pelosi's plan is excellent:

1. Drain the repuublican swamp: "break the link between lobbyists and legislation"

2. Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11

3. Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, maybe in one step

4. Cut the interest rate on student loans in half

5. Allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients

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

7. Roll back Bush-era tax cuts ("We must share the benefits of our wealth" beyond the privileged few)

[CK_John]

9. We need to learn a new skill, we need to be pro-active instead of

reactive.
We need keep tabs on the current Congress until Jan.
We need to think about the big picture.
We need to quit fighting over petty stuff.

[elocs]

10. Oversight and investigation are going to be important and do-able.

Legislation is going to be a bit more dicey since Democrats do not have a veto proof majority unless they can tie legislation to other things which Bush and the Republicans want more. Either way, Democrats can say that we moved on legislation and our ideas and plans, but Bush vetoed one after another even though his veto pen was dull and rusty for his first 6 years.