July 25, 2008
To: The Democratic Platform Members
From: Barbara Mitchell, Donlyn Distribution Inc.
email:donlyninc@att.net
Topics discussed:
A Work-force Design/Plan” to Repair & Rebuild, the U.S. Infrastructure
Plan-To Restore and Expand Manufacturing
Plan-To Subsidize, Promote and Increase Local /National Farming
Plan-To Decrease/Eliminate Foreign-Oil Dependency
Plan-What “you” would do to pay off the Federal trillion-dollar debt
(A work sheet on each topic above is attached, and a work sheet on School
reform)
Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of “The Change” that the world
badly needs.
Because of the urgency for change, I felt not only, the “basic” what is needed,
was needed, but suggested solutions to help accomplish what is needed. The
format that we used helped us stay on the subject matter, and forced us to
think -solutions. That same format could be helpful to Obama in getting groups
to refine their goals from beginning thru completion.
There is so much talk about what needs and should be done, rather than: this
is what we are going to do, and this is how. I read the 2004 platform
information. It seems nothing, to very little, was accomplished from that
platform. In fact, the current state of our country is a demonstrating that most
of the items that were addressed are much worst than they were in 2004….Of
course John Kerry was not elected President either…
My group was only five people, even though there were nine who RSVP. One
did not want to sign the sign in sheet. The group agreed that, because the
Obama organization has groups in every state who seem to work so well
accomplishing goals, that group would be a good group to choose paid
employees from to get his goals accomplished as U.S. President. Plus the
people who do serious work at these platform meetings. Ideals are easy;
locating the right staff to implement them, adequately, to accomplish the
desired goals is what our politicians, often, fails to do.
The group agreed with most of the solutions (See attached work sheets) that I
suggested to accomplish the desired goals.
Additional suggestions not included on my list: the group agreed that Health
Care should be at the top of the list. It was agreed that we need to use more of
the money that we are spending on the Iraq war here at home.
The group wondered if Senator Obama’s Community Organization experience
could be used in organizing the Middle East.
As a response to my request:
“Please include in your thinking checks and balances/ regulations, etc. For
example, should our elected representative in each State, City, etc. be held
more accountable for successful implementation? Should there be
consequences other than just being elected, or not for another term when
plans are not implemented as intended? If so, what should those
consequences be? That’s a hard one; but think about it”.
“Brainstorm with family and friends about these topics for solutions before
attending the meeting. As a result of what has happened to our U.S. Economy,
we can not assume what will be assumed, or leave too much up to chance and
common-sense thinking”…
The group agreed: There should be a mandate vote on the election ballets
asking people to vote for or against the following: when plans are not
implemented by our elected officials as they have stated that they will
implement when elected:
The consequence should be that they cannot run again for any public office
for three years, if they have not implemented “said plans”check YES OR NO
The group agreed that the U.S. drug problem could be solved if the U.S. really
wanted to.
Additionally, the person of great interest who attended the “Hit the Ground
Running,” Platform meeting was Karen Horwitz, Activist for reclaiming our
schools, and Author of the book “White CHALK (Collar) Crime” .Karen’s book
documents most of her 12 years of challenges, as a school teacher, fighting for
justice to no avail in her struggle against Special Interest Groups who have,
also, infiltrated our schools.
Karen’s story of “documented truths” opened my eyes to “White Chalk Crime”
in a way that I had never imagined. Ms Horwitz is not asking that Senator
Obama take her word , but read the book, and give some thought to the
contents, using his own judgments as he makes radical changes to our
educational system.
Karen is Jewish and I am African American; we never knew each other before
the platform meetings last week but we were able to work together extremely
well. I realized that our passion is, additionally, fueled because we are both well
aware of the extreme damages done to people for generations when Special-
Interest is left un-checked.…
I included Karen’s worksheet from the “Hit the Ground Running” platform
meeting, on repairing the Educational infrastructures & paying off the Trillion
Dollar debt, because it is so well done .….It was a lot of work just for the
meeting.
Karen Horwitz lives in Chicago
Email: teacherkh@aol.com
Platform meeting summary page