>On Nov 18, 2008, at 2:38 PM, Charles Brown wrote:
>
>>Amiri Baraka is sort of the current poet laureate of the US Black
>>Liberation Movement. He's also an avowed Marxist-Leninist, now. He
>>was not for most of his early career, but was a Black Nationalist.
>
>I interviewed him in Jan 07. I was pretty starstruck.
>
><http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/Radio.html#070111>
speaking of, I've recently come across this gentleman's blog, Darren Hutchinson: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=167108
http://dissentingjustice.blogspot.com
As for Baraka, I noticed that this version is different from one posted at The Black World Today. At TBWT, it includes a comparison to FDR at the end and a list of platform demands to be made of Obama.
It's unfortunate he had to slander the people in St. Pete who have more understanding of practical politics on a day-to-day basis in their little finger than most people will ever accumulate in a lifetime. I'm assuming there's some sort of sectarian dispute between his faction and the Uhuru -- which frequently features the work of Glen Ford?
Anyway, here's the rest of what he wrote when published at
The following are a few exploratory planks of a document that should be added to by the willing and serve as a basis for a mass supported document to present to Obama.
Progressive Agenda for Obama
1. End Iraq War, cancel preparations for Iran War. Re-establish that it is Congress that declares war
a. End so called "National Security Government: Close Guantanamo, end Homeland Securitydomination of US political and social life.
2. Make racism a criminal offense assault 1
3. Use of the N Word (by anyone) assault 2
4. Use of the B Word (by anyone) assault 2
5. Begin to push for change in Political Culture of US**
A. End the Electoral College System B. End Winner Take All System C. Initiate One Person One Vote D. Abolition of US Senate -replace with Unicameral system (one House of Representatives based on One Person One Vote).
E. Parliamentary System= As many parties as represent ideological groups, as in Europe, so that Coalition politics emerge F. Ban on private monies in elections G. Restoration of Voting Rights to Ex Felons
6. Review of National Debt by National Forum
7. Executive Support for Reparations- Establishment of National Citizens Committee
8. General Investigation & Review of Criminal Justice System
9. Appointment of Progressive Supreme Court & Other Judges
10. Review Diplomatic Relations with all Nations. By National Panel with recommendations
a. Haiti b. Cuba. c. Venezuela d. Saudi Arabia e. Iran f. Israel
b. Strengthen Committee on Africa, investigate relations
11. Investigate Need for Cabinet level Office of Afro American Affairs
12. Review Affirmative Actions statutes, reverse negative trends
13. Housing: "Everyone must have a place to live" bill
14. Education- Reaffirm support with action for Public Education. Veto attempts to weaken PE budget
15. Minimum Wage
16. Investigate Bush-Cheney years, including their election, with National Forum, Recommendations
17. National investigation of 911
18. Review FDA- Reverse Bush' Rule eliminations
19. Review Environmental Protection Agency –role- laws
20. International treaties review Oslo, Nuclear, Ballistic missile, Trade
21. Plan for direct monitoring and supervision of Voting Apparatus Nationally. Stop "suppression of the Black & Latino vote"
22. Executive intervention for National Health Care plan
23. Presentation of Progressive National Immigration Bill
24. New initiative for National Cultural & Arts Support
25. New Public Works Program to put US back to work
26. Push programs for Regulation of Capitalism, Stop excessive outsourcing, end big capital's abandoning of factories, cities, industries
People who keep saying, "The president can't do anything" should review FDR's "First Hundred Days" aimed at ending the great Depression. "On his first day in office, Mar 4, 1933, FDR called Congress into a special session. He then proceeded to drive a series of bills through Congress that reformed the US banking industry, saved American agriculture and allowed for industrial recovery. At the same time wielded the executive order creating the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Public Works Administration (WPA) and the Tennessee Valley Authority. These projects put tens of thousands of Americans back to work building dams, bridges, highways and much needed public utility systems." (About.com) What was called "The New Deal."
What we need from Obama is a Newer New Deal. What we need from ourselves is the political clarity and will to ensure Obama's election!
http://www.tbwt.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1124&Itemid=30
http://cleandraws.com Wear Clean Draws ('coz there's 5 million ways to kill a CEO)