The Ehrlich Report

An Alternative "State of the Union"

In his State of the Union address, President George W. Bush came as close to an open declaration of class war as he dared. His initial targets are children and older working and middle class Americans. Clandestine attacks on people of color and women were also revealed. Given Mr. Bush's belief that he holds a mandate from the people and a mission from his God, it could have been worse. In his budget for the fiscal year 2006, Bush reduced or cut 150 programs while increasing support for the wars and military, domestic security and repression.

The opposition has essentially accepted his agenda arguing against the budgetary allocations, displaying a serious lack of political imagination. Here, then, are some alternatives. I am not going to present dollar amounts and a balance sheet. We know where the money is and where it goes: a five percent tax on the wealth of the wealthiest would turn the country around and virtually erase the national debt.

Agriculture. My focus here would be on organic farming, rigorous control of genetically modified plants, and an expansion of hydroponic and urban agriculture. I would end all projects of food irradiation and disallow the patenting and licensing of seeds and crop varieties.

Defense. My first step would be semantic. Let's go back to the original name of the DOD, namely the Department of War. Dismantle the U.S. stockpile of chemical and biological weapons, nuclear weapons and the use of depleted uranium both in artillery but also in consumer products. Bring the troops home–all of them, not just those in Iraq and Afghanistan. Begin an industrial conversion program shifting the war industries and sites to peace time uses.

Education. Enhance the academic standards of colleges of education and provide a substantial sign-up honorarium to all new teachers. Establish a network of mini-elementary schools. Expand the use of radio, cable tv, and web-based vocational and intellectual education.

Energy. There are three interrelated priorities. Firstly, we need a crash program on developing alternatives to nuclear power and fossil fuels. Next, comes the replacement of energy inefficient home appliances and industrial equipment. Finally, we must clean up all of the toxic waste sites.

Health and Human Services. After we establish a single payer system for health care, sever the ties between the Food and Drug Administration and the pharmaceutical industry, expand serious medical and health research, redevelop health and safety safeguards in workplaces, train and empower more nurse practitioners and physician assistants, we can work on developing programs of health maintenance and preventive care services.

Housing and Urban Development. The technology of homebuilding has remained virtually unimproved over the past 50 years. That has to change. We need to target special housing for the growing older population and construct facilities for housing the homeless.

Justice. Let's start with the repeal of the "Patriots Act" and the empowerment of the Civil Rights Commission. I would launch a serious offensive against hate crimes, including violence against women, and the prevalence of institutional forms of discrimination. We need a commission to study seriously the allocation of reparations for African Americans and Native Americans. Drug enforcement laws need to be redrafted with an emphasis on treatment. Prison construction must stop and programs of rehabilitation need to take precedence for those incarcerated.

Labor. Our official work week should be reduced to 20 hours with no reduction in pay. There will be a limit on the gap between the highest paid and lowest paid employees. Tax breaks and low interest loans will be provided for the startup of worker/community owned enterprises.

State. We need to reject the global economic policies that have resulted in the impoverishment of countries around the world. The sale of military weapons and other forms of aid to the dictatorships must be halted. Most of the US military could be converted to a peace corps providing assistance, training and technology without exploitation.

Transportation. The priorities of the department will be shifted to the development of mass transit and the design of cars and other personal vehicles that are energy efficient and nonpolluting.

Art, Music and the Humanities. I will create this new department which will be responsible for making a thousand flowers bloom.