...Real change means a mix of Bill Clinton in 1992, FDR in 1932, and the innovation and mindset of the 21st Century. Since the realm of media and society are so dominated by the corporate/right-wing structure, a few Clintonian morsels will have to be tossed their way. Think of it like raw meat to lions to distract them while the real work gets done.
That won't cut it on its own, either. I'd try this: toss 'em the meat regularly, but stuff some powerful sedatives in it first. Let's put Big Pharma to good use for a change. That ought to keep them occupied for several years -- I'm more interested in keeping the lions from distracting us, personally. Now back to the article...
We have a crumbling infrastructure, so we need similar programs to FDR's work programs in the 1930s. Newt Gingrich and 12 years of Republican rule in Congress did a lot of damage to what makes this country great.
But we also need someone who understands that the new "job program" is about taking advantage of the fact that the average consumer is more concerned abot the environment and will accept alternative energies. The new president has to be able to work with Al Gore to implement true change. And those workers in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana also need one more thing: they need to make something tangible.
Miss this one step and you don't get the complete picture. Making a new road or creating solar energy are wonderful, but the workers of the Midwest need to point to something and say, "I made that." {my emphasis}
That salient point compliments what Scorpio said about the nation's infrastructure a little while ago. And pride has a whole lot to do with it, so it is definitely not relevant to just four states...
The American manufacturing spirit reached its peak when it could point to the clothes on their backs, and the cars they drove with pride. This new direction could easily be electric cars (not hydrogen). It doesn't have to be huge in numbers, but Americans want to buy tangible elements that they made. Bring that back and the Democratic Party can rule for a long time, and make real lasting change.
Here's another idea to help make that happen, and it's aimed right at the Democrats. Want to win more elections? Then get rid of those fucking consultants already. Just dump 'em. All of them. Now. We can put them to work in the new factories later, teach them useful trades. If they don't like that, you can threaten to have them arrested for serial highway robbery instead (Senator Clinton, please pick up your goddamned office phone if it's still cool enough to handle). Give 'em a choice -- compulsory community service assembling electric railroad cars and earning a respectable hourly wage, or hard time in jail making license plates for nadadamthing. I'm sure they'll make the wiser choice...
