My Ideas for the Obama ‘Citizens’ Briefing Book’

One Way to Deal With Torture Legacy:

If the country were not facing such an historic economic crisis, perhaps I would be one of those angered by signals that neither the incoming Congress, nor the Obama Administration, seem to have the will to investigate and potentially hold accountable those who broke the law in the areas of interrogation, detention and rendition during the past administration.

Here’s an idea – a truth commission.  What if the concept was based around answering the questions regarding the Constitution, the efficacy of torture, who was ultimately responsible, etc.  This could be done in such a way as to put off any public hearings or transparency until after a bipartisan panel of serious legal, policy experts and just plain citizens had a chance to pursue the issues with subpoena power under a media blackout.  Their product would be public.  In some manner, either through the office of the President or the Congress an acknowledgement would be made and a strong statement, law or EO would be enacted to guide the government through these issues in the future.  An acknowledgement could be made that any mistakes in judgement or action were the result of trying, out of the ordinary times (although this shouldn’t be an excuse).

Click this link to vote for this idea at change.gov

Initial Focus on the Bridge to Our Energy Future:

Our economy and society and is intertwined with petroleum – a single resource – that there is no single alternative on the horizon.  Many speak of a Manhattan or Apollo project for energy independence, but this economic is much to complex to be solved in a timeframe akin to either of those two great American achievements.

Think of the bridge with its major parts, the spans.  We can begin our Apollo-style project of basic research, advanced research, work on prototypes, testing, the development of economic models, etc.  But at the same time, we can also build the bridge, span by span.  One span may be the Pickens Plan, an effort that will attract private as well as government resources.  Another span could be an aggressive tax credit program for making existing American homes energy efficient.

This also has the benefit of being a communications or message construct which will help educate America as to the pervasiveness of petroleum and the strategic disadvantage we are in due to our dependence on this diminishing, primarily foreign supplied resource.

Click this link to vote for this idea at change.gov