PEER INTO THE FUTURE...


The year is 2004...and the Democrats win with an impressive and indisputable margin. The sun is shining, there are fresh flowers by the bed, and the smell of fresh coffee wafts into the room. Good portentions!
Among the Democratic proposals and visions are these:


Peace - 99% of the world cherishes Peace. Refocus on Peace instead of War. Bill and Jimmy Carter are brought on the re-establish old friendships around the globe, and get back to the thankless task of helping the world to become a peaceful garden of delight, tolerance and sustainability.

Prosperity - Create dynamic new forms of work, such as those described in "The Ecology of Commerce" and touched upon by Al Gore...which focus on activities, engineering and so on that is geared toward improving and cleaning up the environment. Not all work need be pollutive. That much has become abundantly clear. No. It has become abundantly smoggy.

Generosity - What with all the homeless and destitute people left in the wake of "the Bush in a China Store" phenomenon, there will be a huge need for magnanimous individuals, groups and organizations to come forward with ideas, help and relief.

Honesty - It will be the obvious and entirely discernable honesty that will help them to be elected, and it will be honesty that keeps them elected. A most refreshing change! The world throws a party! We have reached the other side of the real bridge to the 21st century. And to think! It WAS meant to be a peaceful century after all!

Forgiveness - All around the world, and even here in America, there is an overwhelming need for forgiveness. To facilitate this, Al and Hill will reach across the aisle and appoint Republicans to Cabinet positions and include them in more meetings. The point being that the problems are so large that neither side can manage it alone...especially when the other side is trying to destroy them.

Reconciliation - Past wounds must be healed. We can set a good example for other peoples, and feel better here at home.

Unity in Diversity - We need to celebrate both our unity and our diversity. There is, in fact, unity IN diversity. We need to remember and speak of this. Solicit the best everyone has to offer. Don't just pay back contributors and forget the rest. And NEVER sit back while a state gets into harms way...as Bush/Cheney did California. (If you don't think blackouts are a danger...read about New York's blackouts!)

Environment: Air, Water, Land - 99% of Americans and Earthlings are in favor of caring for and protecting our precious resources. Those whose activities are destructive must be helped in their attempt to find solutions to the problem. But they surely shouldn't be encouraged to pollute even more, which is essentially the case today.

Conservation - Conserving and gleaning our resources. Conservation will be taught in schools at a young age, and it will be non-controversial and incontrovertible. Oil Companies, for example, don't want people to use less oil. But if they were made responsible for the pollution emitted, they would realize there are more costs than they would have us accept. Air pollution is easier to hide than water and land pollution. We need to wake up to this fact. We will.

Education Reform - Standards are way too low. There is no reason why every child, and indeed adult, can't have as good an education as the few who are so often unappreciative of their now rare opportunity.
Just as Home Offices have flourished and will be encouraged -- as they, (among other things) reduce road traffic, energy use, air pollution and accidents -- so to will home schools and neighborhood schools be afforded the same comforts. I imagine there will be democratic opposition to this at first.
There is no reason that every child couldn't have access to all the available information, including telecourses from our best universities. It is by brains and heart that we will secure our welcome place in the world...and do the best work imaginable.

Preventive Health - As the Babyboom bubble approaches old age, and health care is taxed to the max...it will be necessary to have strong preventive health measures built into our educational opportunities.
The current regime, as manifested in Pharmaceutical Companies and the folks with whom they do business...are probably not all that keen on people being healthy. What if everyone were always healthy? It could happen! We do not really want them to stay in business if it means we must get sick for them. Why they even invent illnesses. Need to focus more on health and care. We'll have a lot more money to do good in the world.

Sustainability - We must realize that we cannot grow ad infinitum. There is great beauty and simplicity in sustainable economies and lifestyles. This will help stabilize and maintain the earth's remaining resources.

Alternative Energies - By now people are sick of propping up the Cheneys of the world. Alternative Energy will be given a priroity heretofore unimaginable. And it will be welcome, nay, applauded!

Advanced Transportation Systems - Europe and Asia are way ahead of us on this. We need, and will encourage and develop cleaner, faster, safer, even more beautiful and lasting forms of transportation.

Humanitarian Superpower - World Relief, Philanthropy... Our national stock will rise to the extent that we move from a mere financial and military superpower and become a humanitarian superpower. We can do it, and will...if we only have the will.

Transparency of Government & Business - Along with accountability, transparency wil become a lost best friend...who returns, much to the people's delight and applause. The current trend will continue, and eventually the untrustworthy will be weeded out, if not locked up.
Except for the most sensitive of matters, there will be clear accounting and accountability. One can see where their taxes are being spent or invested on the internet. The government will actively solicit ideas for better and better ways of doing things while reducing waste on an ongoing basis.

The Low Road - The Low Road is an ancient Chinese concept which means the road of helping others...as opposed to the road of self aggrandizement. Of course this can't be legislated, but it can be introduced into the national dialogue. With such great losses in wealth, people need to know that there are better things to life than great wealth. This will be a form of preventive health, and an enhancer to the quality of life of Americans.

Reciprocal Maintenence - It will be imperative to move from a model of reciprocal destruction to the more healthy and natural model of reciprocal maintenence.

Non-Profits - Non-profit organizations will become all the rage, as profit loses it carotene. Just thought I'd say that!

Smart Military - As the richer nations refocus their attention on giving a helping hand to the poor and needy, there will be less reason for people to want us dead. I'm too tired to develop this idea, but, although needed, it needn't be so wasteful and killerly.

Villages - Rather than having neighbors spying on neigbors, Hillary will present ideas and work toward creating and maintaining communities wherein neighbors once again know one another and help one another. "Trust the people" as Bush USED to say. When neighbors help neighbors, there is less likelihood for crime or terrorism. Again...preventive health...on a social scale.