More things the next President can do at little cost

• Read Michael Pollen’s article in the New York Times magazine from Sunday October 12th and follow all his suggestions, including:
  • Resolarize the American farm (move away from mono-cultures and oil-based food)
  • Re-regionalize the food system
  • Rebuild America’s food culture by leading by example in the White House – via choice of White House chef and appointing a White Houser farmer
• Make all agriculture and food policies transparent
• Look at California and others – see what the states and the municipalities are already doing and support the best ones and entice others into adopting them. Don’t reinvent the wheel.
• Stop the USA from eavesdropping on US citizens without warrants

A Hippocratic oath for government

I admit that I am naïve and an optimist, but lately even my own political party isn’t doing things right as far as I’m concerned – not right for me, not right for regular people, not right for the citizens of this formerly great nation.

I am hopeful we can change things, and yet I’m ashamed of our actions as a nation – towards others in the world as well as toward ourselves. Need I mention Katrina and New Orleans. Need I mention bailing out Bear Sterns and Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac with alacrity and enthusiasm without any requirement that they change their ways or become more transparent? With little being done for those who are losing their homes and their jobs? Need I mention how we treat those we think are beneath us?