Blogger is at a rally in favor of American foreign policy, including regime change in Iraq ( Fall 2003 ).
Karen Loberg (Ventura Star) took the picture. It made the front page. He was famous for a day.
THE BLOG
of John Gelles
July 19, 2008NOT TO WORRY
The Week that WasThis is the week that Congress heard from Ben Bernanke, Hank Paulson, President Bush, John McCain and Barack Obama— that the end of the American dream was no closer than it had been before: i.e., before terrorism, 9/11, war in Iraq, climate change, asset bubble defilations, foreclosures, and the viral spread of corruption were seemingly ready to form a perfect storm and up-end our ship of state.
The number one worry— not to be ignored— remains peace between Russia and America: it is our duty to meet this nation half way and help them to achieve the greatness they deserve and America to acquire a steadfast friend with whom partnership makes sense and antagonisms do not.
The number two worry is the power of the dollar at home to motivate excellence wherever it can be earned— and the power of the dollar abroad in nations from whom we must buy rare raw materials for which there is no substitute.
The power of the dollar is measured in the things it can buy. To allow business to focus on producing the things we buy, the cost of health care shall be born directly by the federal government
Number three is ignorance and corruption on a grand scale against which a free education at the highest level must be THERE for all Americans from the cradle to the grave.
It must be there, paid for by the nation, as a matter of national security, and delivered by movies and video games created by our top institutes of technology, universities, colleges, commercial studios, the armed forces, and any and all comers who compete in open contests to present ideas in accessible forms that are likely to be learned by every eager mind.
Supplementing universal access to such libraries of effective educational media must be schools and clubs of every kind to provide public and private education with proven records of success.
These may be paid for by traditional methods; but experimental methods must also be found to pay for them by cash or credit— by students or their parents or sponsors.
Government grants and loans must guarantee that these schools and clubs exist to allow the young to be prepared for positive contributions to society as adults.
Number four is energy independence and environmental protection. To drive the economy to unprecedented heights and national security to its deserved status, crash projects, funded by government cash and credit in amounts equal to those for weapons in WW II, must be funded and managed to bring the cost of electricity nearly to zero and adverse environmental effects to actual zero.
Number five is American and world history and cultural appreciation.
Number six is community policing. Crime and senseless violence must be viewed as preventable.
