Presidential Promises (or, I wish!)

Been doing some thinking lately about what I would like my presidential candidate to pledge to do:


* end testing of "mini-nukes" and "bunker-busters"
* change Nuclear Posture Review to non-use and no first strike
* declare an end to pre-emptive war strategy, make it permanent
* sign the Kyoto Treaty
* sign the treaty to end use of land mines
* confirm our values/agreement with the Geneva Conventions
* support the United Nations whole-heartedly, and pay up what we owe in dues
* revive the mid-East peace process toward a two-state solution
* publicly pledge to REALLY "support the troops" by providing proper body armor and truck armor, putting money into real military departments instead of outsourcing (more below) and providing real benefits such as better healthcare, paying for their entire flight home, disability pay and pensions, and transition training for civilian life
* end the out-sourcing of our military functions (this includes ending our use of Blackwater private commandos, and Haliburton's food and water services to our troops --remember the toxic water and the $8/meal debt our soldiers come home with?)
* publicly pledge to improve military healthcare provisions including mental healthcare and length of physical therapy (not just the scandalous hospitals)
* balance the budget
* create a progressive plan to institute universal healthcare, starting with a program for all children including post-natal home visits (which has been shown to also lower child abuse and crime)
* protect Social Security--put it in that "lock box"
* protect the National Endowment for the Arts
* support same-sex civil unions
* create new Cabinet level position Secretary of the Environment to monitor global warming, and offer the post to Al Gore first (this position would oversee and coordinate efforts of other Federal organizations such as the EPA and Forestry Service and others, much as Sec of Homeland Security coordinates various intelligence organizations)