FOR A "REAL" CHANGE!!!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prescriptions for REAL CHANGE, acknowledging that "you CAN'T do THAT"!!!!!!!!!!--
THREE THINGS THAT ARE VERY UNLIKELY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!!!
BUT I THINK WE'D ALL BE BETTER OFF IF WE DID---

HERE GOES!!!

#1 you can't do that!!!!

National-- now that there are two very legitimate and non-legacy (non-baggage) candidates for President of this great country, one might ask is there really any hope for us to truly address OUR significant problems such as affordable health care, solvent social security, a rational and simplified tax policy, and incentivize our youth by imparting them with being part of our country's future by giving back through my "Youth of the Nation Volunteer Year” (one year of service after high school required service). How might we actually make that progress that has been so elusive? I think we need a new prescription, so that we STOP thinking in terms of Democratic or Republican agenda's and start talking about America's Agenda--

I vote for John McCain for President and Barack Obama (remember, he's the one with 4 years of public office experience and has youth on his side) for Vice-President!!! With the agreement that we do NOT hold a national election in 4 years and Obama becomes president (and he has a FEMALE VP!!!) and we save a bunch of election money and TV ad's with politicians attacking each other on insignificant things and belittling each other on the significant ones.

I vote for CHANGE, and this lineup guarantees it for the next eight years. This plan is economically prudent and politically progressive. If this doesn't happen then I guess I'll have to pick among these two candidates and their selected VP mates. I prefer my suggested choice above.

#2) you CAN’T do that!!!!

STATE--
Is there any state in our Union that can hold a candle to NJ’s barrage of insidious corruption that never fails to show its face, even in seemingly honest politicians who just can't say no because they know how many others of their brethren are fat and happy on the take. NJ, despite the new Hall of Fame, still has its dual legacies of political corruption and political inertia!!!!

Two Prescriptions--
1) Part-time state employees getting a cushy job and fat pension at the end of their careers happens so often that honest, hard-working politicians are afraid to break the system knowing that a few years out THEY will be the direct beneficiary of this ridiculous and costly policy. REMOVE PART-TIME employees from state pension benefits NOW.

That is a start on our road back to solvency.
2) New Jersey should take advantage of a unique opportunity. NJ should recognize the Republic of Cuba as a partner and negotiate an exclusive diplomatic pathway that gives NJ the rights to Cuba transport landings. All flights from NJ to Cuba come w a $25 surcharge (each way) paid to the state.

Cuba was a hostile nation with strategic implications.......... In 1962!!!!!!!!!! I heard a recent speech where in one sentence the countries Iran, North Korea, Iraq, and CUBA were uttered with references of terrorist threats. NJ could both move our national dialogue forward and open up a wonderful people and culture of food and music (not to mention cigars) to a needy populace that would only benefit from the open door that NJ should extend. And we should negotiate with Cuba to have an "exclusive landing rights only from NJ policy " for 5 years so it actually does help our state get solvent (and we of course could resell those rights to Florida so those folks could save on the jet fuel.)

#3) you CAN’T do that!!!
LOCAL
Finally, locally, right here in Rumson.

Let's recognize that we are an "auto" culture, not a walking or biking culture. Let's also recognize it is both a strength (fast) and a weakness (no health benefits, environmentally unfriendly, and much more dangerous). I propose that, to facilitate our own health, our own joy, our sense of purpose and actually put our citizens welfare first, that we remove expediency and speed from our mind and spend some money to have a walk/bike path through our town just like we have three roads through our town (Rumson, Ridge, and River Rd.). My son has a job in Sea Bright, and his mom doesn't feel it’s safe that he ride his bike alongside the SUV populace of our area (myself included).

And yet, there is no alternative that is safe and secure. In all our development, we have put our citizens at risk. But Tom, we all get around using cars so your idea is ridiculous. Really??? Maybe we shouldn't, especially during the summer, get around in cars.

Perhaps with $4.00 or $5.00 gas, with our population generally overweight and out of shape, and the global warming crisis continuing to evolve, just perhaps, we should have at least ONE truly safe alternative in this great town of ours so both children and adults can have a safe way to get to the beach, or simply go for a walk through the whole town. Specifically, it seems only natural that we do this with Ridge Road (perhaps we turn it into a one way street with the other side being for pedestrian/bike traffic, recognizing that no residents on that street will want a Long Branch type appropriation of their property.
Save money, help the environment, get healthy, and enjoy the tranquility of getting somewhere without a car!!!!.

You can't do that????? Or can you!!!!!

I recently heard Wendy Kopp, the Founder of Teach for America, speak at a college commencement ceremony. Wendy was named one of the top 100 most influential people in the world according Time Magazine 2008. In 1989, to the dismay of her Princeton professors and fundraising experts, she started Teach for America to address and CHANGE the failing public school syndrome in lower socio-economic urban areas in America. Unanimously, her advisors told her that she “couldn’t do that”. Fortunately for America and the students her organization has touched, she didn’t believe it. She thought she could. And she did. 5000 college graduates now work for TfA throughout the USA.

I think we can too. As outlandish and unique as my suggestions are, we can choose to CHANGE. I’ll take the bike path, or the recognition of Cuba as a non-hostile republic, but if you really ask what I’d like, I’d like ‘em all.


For a CHANGE.

tt