Expectations. . . sometimes called premeditated resentments.

I have expectation of our next president. I have expectations because I expect the next president to be Mr. Barack Obama.
I expect the next president of the United States of America to be a black man. Wow. What an expectation. What an amazing reality. I always believed it would happen, but the reality of it possibly really happening is a bit overwhelming. I can only imagine how my black brothers and sisters who have been political junkies like me must be feeling.

So what do I expect from Mr. Obama? Well, I've certainly heard him talk a mighty purty line but you've gotta ask yourself "can he really deliver all of that?" Probably not. No one could. He won't be given the chance. What he does have the chance to do however is to bring issues to the front of people's minds and into the social conscious by addressing them and taking a shot at solving them however fruitless that shot might be.
What issues deserve a place on his list?

1. Iraq. Ok, he can do something about this by announcing a plan for withdrawal the day he takes office. I expect nothing less.

2. Poverty. Address the issue. Propose programs. Make speeches about it. We have poverty in this country. From back country roads to the most inner parts of the inner cities we have people living in poverty. Children are being neglected and malnurished as a result. People who were once middle class are now living below or near the poverty line. When you talk about jobs and education you've got to bring up poverty.

3. Jobs. Corporate America doesn't want to pay american workers decent wages. They can line their pockets more thoroughly by shippinh jobs to foreign markets and paying pennies on the dollar. Fuck that. Penalize them. Throw them out of the country. If you can't pay American workers for a certain percentage of your product, get you fat corporate asses out of here and don't bring your shit products back onto our shores.

4. Education. Education is the key to people acting civil and having dignity and respect for themselves and one another. Education gets people jobs and keeps employers around. Education is the key to an electorate that will demand good and worthy candidates. Education drives a civilization. Don't be fooled, the corporate royalists who run this country don't want an educated populous.

5. Racism. Yes America, it's still an issue. Even with a black president it will still be an issue. 40 million African-American people across this nation are not lying. Ask any one of them if racism is a major issue in their lives. Go ahead, ask them.
It keeps children from acheiving their full potential. It shortens lives. IT put stresses on individuals, families and communities. It's bad for our culture and our society. Let's talk about it.

6. Women's issues. OK, prejudice against women. . . sexism. It too exists. I want my daughters to have all the opportunity that my sons have. I want them to be just as free to take a risk as my sons. I want equality for ALL women. . . not just white women or middle class women or educated women. . . . ALL WOMEN.

7. Healthcare. Anyone in these United States of America should be able to walk into any health care facility anywhere and receive the best treatment available. They shouldn't have to worry if they have or don't have insurance. Healthcare needs to move into the relm of human rights. The country that likes to toot its horn as the biggest, best and greatest should have nothing less than universal healthcare for ALL it's citizens.

8. Energy policy. The only way we are going to control the price of oil is to control our consumption of oil. This is something that will invoke the wrath of the biggest lobby in America and the most powerful corporate royalist group in America. . . Big oil. Tough shit. You're not beholding to anyone, right Barack? Take a shot. Our country's future depends upon it.

9. Environment. Put our environmental policy back in order. After 8 yrs of having the corporate royalty get their way, we are in big trouble. We also need to join with the rest of the world to save humanity.

What's the McCain/McBush position on all this? Business as usual? Is he going to get us out of Iraq? Challenge big oil? Address prejudice? Think about it.