George,

Recently, a right wing friend, sarcastically asked me what I would do in Bush's place.....

I said, "Tough question, but I'll give it a try; I would confide in the citizenry and explain to the American people in a "fireside chat" format, why I think we are the target for so much hatred and vitriol.While we are 5% of the world's population, we use 25+% of the world's resources, why we are seen as the ultimate hypocrits, condemning a regime for developing nuclear weapons, while we are the only nation on earth to have used nuclear weapons against essentially civilian populations ,particularly, Hiroshima.A tough sell?

Maybe, but I think people must not only see the US through "rose colored glasses". Like a big family, we must recognize our shortcomings to learn and grow.

Why statesmanship requires telling the hard facts as JFK did with the Cuban Missile Crisis and FDR did with his "Day of Infamy" speech - as A.Lincoln inspired with his "Gettysburg Address" ... Why we are all in this as one and why we must unite for solutions and not just wave flags and engage in patriotic pap. We have sacrificed before, in WWll we did without gasoline, tires, shoes, tin foil, bubble gum, coffee, butter, sugar etc.We survived and became the strongest nation on earth.The slogan was, "we did it before and we can do it again!"

I would ask for stringent gasoline and diesel mpg standards. I would ask for a 30% reduction in consumption of petroleum products. I would ask for higher taxes on fuel and use that money to develop mass transit systems. I would ask the American people to make sacrifices, not by marching off to war just to protect gas guzzlers!

I would want the people I represent to be my consultants. I would not want a bunch of greedy lobbyists or war hawks telling me about their narrow interests.

I would make it a central role to genuinely reduce our dependency on foreign oil. I would see it as liberating a nation.

I would try to convince the citizenry that our almost insatiable demand for oil lies at the heart of our difficulties; we simply must address the underlying issues.

I would create incentives to use alternate energy sources, particularly renewable sources.

I would vastly expand solar and wind power. The outcome might not only reduce our obscene consumption, and our reliance on the likes of Saudi Arabia, it would reduce greenhouse gasses, so the rest of the world would admire our efforts rather than condemn our excesses.

I would defend the provision in the US Constitution that says in the preamble,"To Promote the General Welfare."

I would use my office to try to protect the health of our citizens, hoping to convince them that medical care and good health are basic rights not privileges; that a healthy nation is a stronger nation.

I would work to permanently make social security a fundamental, dependable, retirement, disability and child supporting fund...no tampering or experimenting.

I would encourage savings and expand incentives for people to safely invest their money in retirement programs. Study the possibility of an FDIC type fund to help secure investment safety, in the event of fraud or dishonesty.

I would ask for tough legislation to make corporate crime as much or more a focus of law enforcement than drugs or bank robbery; surely more citizens are damaged by corporate fraud and dishonesty than a bank robber. This is so fundamental it is difficult to understand the opposition.

It would be my goal to make federal regulatory agencies free of politics and conflicts of interest .... those who managed them would be chosen on the basis of expertise and competence, not a reward for contributions.

If I was in a position to appoint justices to the Supreme Court, I would seek those who view our Constitution as a "living document", not those who see it as an opportunity to address their own idealistic political or partisan agendas.

I would use my office as a "bully pulpit", lobbying to make our environment and its protection an important priority, so we can make the air and water safe to breathe and drink. Our land preserved for all, not just the few, politically connected, ready to exploit our common treasures.

I would ask the people to make quality education their most important investment and I would use the success of the GI Bill to prove my point. An educated society has unlimited potential.

Again, I reiterate, the American people are willing and capable of thinking as JFK said, "what can I do for my country?" They must be encouraged to be involved in participatory democracy.

Finally, I would encourage democracy around the world. I would strongly advocate free elections in repressive breeding grounds for terrorism like the monarchy of Saudi Arabia. We, as a nation, can no longer look the other way when the nations we deal with and spend our dollars keep the boot of repression on the necks of their citizens!"

So far, Mr Bush has not asked us to join in solving the causes of our problems; he seems to only want to treat the symptoms. In the long run, this will be more costly in human as well as financial terms

I said, "Steve, these are human problems and only humans can solve them."

"There are many more, but my plate is pretty full, but I do know the American people will do more than their share, if led by intelligent, thoughtful and creative individuals and be treated like adults, not like pawns!"

Harry Tenney (electronic mail, September 10, 2002)