Alan Grayson's State of the Union

This essay, by former Dem. House member Alan Grayson, appears on Huffington Post as "The Speech I'd Like to Hear". It's a stunning piece; I recommend reading it all, if only for the thrill.

The start is below; emphasis his (h/t johnnyk):

My fellow Americans. Two years ago, 69 million of us voted for me to be our President. It was the largest vote for President that any person has ever received. But I understand that you did not support me merely because I have an unusual name. Especially the middle one. No, you supported me because I promised the change we need.

We have been through two hard years, with many people losing their jobs, and many people losing their homes. You know that I did nothing to cause these problems, and I tried hard to solve them. Although our accomplishments have been substantial, an intransigent Republican minority in the Senate has blocked much of my legislative program.

"But a President is more than a legislative program. Although my title is 'President,' you did not elect me to preside. You elected me to lead.

We are now at a fork in the road.

Grayson offers ten actions he would (recommend that the current president) do. These include:

• "accelerate the obligation of federal contracts and grants"
• "declare China a 'currency manipulator,' and end the forced currency union with China"
• "require mandatory mediation, at the bank's expense, before foreclosure" for new all Frannie, Freddie, FHA and VA loans
• "break up any financial institution that is considered 'too big to fail'"
• "ask the FBI to investigate and DOJ to prosecute anyone who committed criminal misconduct in connection with the [2008 financial] collapse"
• "ask the IRS to audit every one of the Fortune 500" [sweet]
• "direct the EPA to exercise its authority to treat carbon dioxide as a pollutant"
• "direct that shareholders in public companies must authorize all campaign expenditures in advance" and force public disclosure or these expenditures
• direct the "promulgation of 'card check' by regulation under the National Labor Relations Act"
• "bring all of our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan by the end of this year"

Wow. Just, wow. Looks almost like a platform. It's at least a plan. If only.

GP