What is the most important change you want to see in the next year?

[leftofthedial]

I don't mean necessarily the first thing Obama should do, but the thing that you believe is the most important short-term change that we need.

For me, it's a change back to a demand-side economy. I am not hopeful that it will happen.

Second for me is to restore a belief in justice and rule of law in this country. That will require serious investigation and prosecution of the worst criminals our country has ever known--not a whitewash commission or a bought-off "prosecutor" to confirm whatever serves the status quo, but a true investigation focused on finding and exposing the truth and then applying the law.

[Donnachaidh]

1. universal healthCARE - not insurance DEATHcare

Completely cut out the CANCER known as the health insurance industry. That also includes the FOR-PROFIT HMO's and medical organizations.

Health CARE - not pennypinching DEATH care.

[leftofthedial]

5. that one is a huge priority for fixing the economy.

I would have mentioned it as part of my "demand-side" comment, but I didn't want to muddy the bigger picture.

I think Obama's plan could help a few more people than it hurts, but it does not solve our core for-profit health insurance problem. His plan enshrines the private, for-profit insurance companies as the permanent owners of the system. It's kind of like if FDR had privatized Social Security right from the beginning.

Do you think it will happen?

[bluethruandthru]

13. Bingo!

Health CARE for all...NOT health INSURANCE. I'm really disappointed with Obama's seeming inability to see that the insurance companies are the problem...not the solution. He seems to have real difficulty seeing a system that does not include the insurance companies.

[leftofthedial]

16. do you think universal health care will happen?

[bluethruandthru]

21. It would be a miracle.

With both Obama and Tom Daschle against it....and Congress about 90 percent against, how can it? I'm encouraged that so many Americans are educating themselves about this issue. Michael Moore's "Sicko" opened my eyes and hopefully many others. We need to let Obama and our congress men and women know how we feel. They keep pooh-poohing us as nutty lefties. Its time they realized that we're the mainstream and we're serious about this issue.

[leftofthedial]

22. I swear to god at least 60% of the country are the "fringe leftists"

that neither party represents.

[bluethruandthru]

23. I guess I'm in that group! n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

27. I guess I'm more optimistic than some.

I saw something indicating that Obama has in the past favored a single-payer system, but that he has taken a blander reform" position in the campaign in order not to draw too much fire from the big-dollar insurance interests. I think he will start with some sort of compromise solution but move toward single-payer as the industry-favored alternatives prove unworkable and unwieldy. I think something has been unleashed with all this hope and change fever in the air, and once the moorings are cut, the trip may be a much wilder one than we imagined at the outset.

[leftofthedial]

32. knock wood

[Taverner]

14. I second that!!!

[Jackpine Radical]

2. 1. Universal health care

2. A public jobs program to build a green infrastructure.

[leftofthedial]

7. green rebuilding would be SO good for the country and the world.

I hope it happens on a large enough scale to revolutionize our way of life.

[barbtries]

3. end the wars

create jobs, work on lessening poverty. it's like impossible to say one thing.

[leftofthedial]

9. Isn't that frustrating?

So much is so wrong, it's hard to know where to start.

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. Tell Wall Street and AIPAC to go fuck themselves

Because until we do that, we'll never get our country back.

[leftofthedial]

10. We have become flop-house renters in our own country...

[dysfunctional press]

6. nationalize the banking system...

as soon as we get single-payer universal healthcare.

[leftofthedial]

11. Do you think either of those will happen?

[dysfunctional press]

17. nope.

we are going to continue sinking into the abyss.

[leftofthedial]

34. I remember the good old days,

when I used to sink into the abbess.



buh-dum psssht.

I've got a million of 'em.

[2Design]

8. stop the war(s) and military industrial complex

2. national health care like canada
3. Tax corporations who off shore or do their work in physical building internationally (where they hide their off shoring) - tax them more than those who have business at home and only sell to other countries
4. Award those who have businesses in the usa who hired usa citizens and not h1b or j1b or any other baloney for hiring non-usa citizens
5. create jobs
6. don't help wall street or the banks or the corporations who continue to screw the people
7. Close gitmo
8. Stop calling it a war on terror
9. Fix crime here in the usa by fixing wages to be livable wages
10 proscute those who destroyed this nation in the last twenty years

[blues90]

12. How long of a post is allowed?

Because each and every issue is a direct affect of another issue and all tie together.

[dysfunctional press]

19. jesus h. christ- how hard isit to just pick one and be done with it...

:eyes:

[blues90]

24. jesus h christ ,e xcuse the hell out of me

I didn't know I had to ask your permission to post my own thoughts , now you are the thought police?

[dysfunctional press]

26. if you have that much trouble figuring out what one thing would be mot important to you...

your thoughts aren't worth policing.

[blues90]

30. I see all sorts of replies here , so what?

I'll just stick to what I said if you don't mind. Hell even the OP chose more than one so what the hell are you talking about? I should just fall in line because you suggest I need to? What the hell does it even matter to you , do I know you , no.

This is the same insane shit that causes most of the worlds Ill's, you know that? Someone always sticking their nose in telling someone else what to do or say, or how to think. Mind your own business.

[cynatnite]

15. For something that would have an immediate impact...

1. End 'Don't ask, don't tell' and allow gays to openly serve in the military
2. Fully fund stem cell research
3. Close Gitmo

Not necessarily in that order, but these are bold moves that will have an immediate impact.

Others such as ending the war, investigating past corruptions and the economy will take longer, IMO.

[Two Americas]

18. air

A chance to breathe, to live, to be heard, to get up off the floor.

Some think that the critics are "opposed to Obama" or are otherwise being destructive. They say we should move past partisanship and welcome in right wingers, but that the critics from the Left should be ignored or excluded.

That is why we elected a Democrat - to be heard.

Forget the right wingers. They are no longer relevant. The public rejected Reaganomics and the religious right. It is in our hands now, and we argue things out, we don't merely fall into line. We see strength in dissent, not weakness. We participate in democracy, we don't stand on the sidelines cheer leading.

The moment that the Dems won, insecure people got nervous - "don't criticize, you are hurting Obama and helping the right wingers and are making it hard for us to feel good."

Speak out. That is the greatest thing that Obama has accomplished - there is oxygen in the room again. Breathe it in, and speak out loudly. Our loyalty is to the people, and to our principles and ideals. Let the national debate begin - raucous, contentious, vigorous, never-ending. That is what we have won. Don't surrender that out of fear or discomfort. Use it or lose it.

[annabanana]

20. What? In ONE year? I don't expect to see more than the OUTLINES

of change until the end of year 2 at least... Junior screwed the pooch so badly, the first year will be spent staunching the flow of blood...

Ok.. I DO expect to see Gitmo closed and the wars ratcheting down in the first year..

[ColbertWatcher]

25. I'd like to see all forms of privatization end.

Including the "faith based" pyramid schemes.

[RC]

28. Prosecution ot the war criminals in bu$h's administration - From the top down.

They need to be made an example of. From there rein in the war toys industry.

[Initech]

29. Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding!!!!!

I dont care what else happens in the next year, we need to hold those criminal scumfucks accountable at ALL COSTS.

[gblady]

31. the way business is done in Washington, DC

I want to see transparency...
I want to see average citizen involvement...
I want to see the values of decency and equality demonstrated.

[Ani Yun Wiya]

33. One thing.

JUSTICE.

And in many areas, across the boards, too numerous to enumerate.

[G_j]

35. don't think mine won't happen,

substantially shrinking the military industrial complex :cry: