To: Dr. Howard Dean
From: Joel S. Hirschhorn

Subject: The Second American Revolution

As the new Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, you need a new powerful message and mission. You need to think boldly in terms of fundamentals. You need to think like our Founding Fathers, because saving a democracy is as important as creating it. Attention must be paid to the truth: We need a Second American Revolution. You can be a leader and healer for our time.

Time to fess up about the many ways American democracy has been terribly degraded over recent decades. And time for the Democratic Party to position itself as the guardian of democracy by admitting how it has been weakened and how it must be restored to greatness. Where the party has been complicit in many democracy-destroying actions, it must admit responsibility. It must walk away from all forms of corporate corruption.

There is no other issue worthy enough to bring all Americans together – repairing American democracy transcends the many narrow issues that so polarize and distract Americans. Forget abortion, gay marriage, gun control, and similar divisive issues. Stay focused on the many ways to repair American democracy. Educate the millions of Americans who have open minds and who sense that America is on the wrong track. The majority is not Democrats and liberals or Republicans and conservatives, but the disenfranchised, disillusioned, and distracted.

Ignore those with closed minds who block out facts and the truth because of chronic cognitive dissonance. They have been too brain washed by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Karl Rove, and Fox News. Let the faith-driven and morally righteous stay glued to the myth that we still have the greatest democracy. Let those red-state middle class citizens suffering from shrinking health insurance, medical bankruptcies, stagnant incomes, exporting of good jobs, suburban sprawl obesity, and loss of loved ones dying in a pre-emptive war stay with their Republican support. But condemn their Republican nationalism for pushing us toward a fake democracy, economic ruin, and more terrorism threats.

Tell Americans that no democracy is worthy of imposing its military and economic power on other nations, supposedly to spread democracy, if it ignores its own serious imperfections. Help Americans understand that by admitting our own shortcomings and having the courage to correct them, we will regain international respect and peace. Use the bumper sticker message: America, heal thyself.

Democrats need moral imagination – more than money and same-old political tactics – to successfully fight the deception, corruption and hypocrisy so successfully used by Republicans to poison what is best about America, even as they wrap themselves righteously in the American flag. You need to call for a Second American Revolution, not fought with weapons but with straight talk, facts, and passionate discussion. People will ask: What do we need to revolt against? Tell them: Something a lot tougher than the colonial British – an entrenched ruling class serving corporate interests and the wealthy. Talk truth: We are oppressed by fellow Americans, not foreign powers. We are under the tyranny of compulsive consumption, corporate greed, and a lying culture.

Talk about specific ways to restore American democracy. Engage Americans. Renew civic responsibility. Stimulate public debate about what really matters. Here are specific actions that Democrats for Democracy could champion:

• replace the Electoral College with the popular vote
  
• stop federal corporate welfare and subsidies through the tax code and regulations
  
• use state and federal Clean Money/Clean Elections campaign financing
  
• remove constitutional protections and human rights for corporations
  
• seek news media reforms to better serve the public interest, including reinstating the Fairness Doctrine and the News Distortion Rule
  
• put the League of Women Voters or the Citizens’ Debate Commission in charge of presidential debates
  
• open up televised debates to all candidates for elected office
  
• promote None of the Above options on ballots
  
• create a federal ballot initiative or national referendum process
  
• expand state ballot initiative options
  
• withdraw from international trade agreements that remove the sovereignty of Americans and their local, state and federal governments
  
• prevent and reverse gerrymandered congressional districts
  
• eliminate the small state bias and advance regional thinking by providing for one U.S. Senator per state and 10 at-large Senators for each of five geographic regions with populations of at least 50 million
  
• allow foreign born persons with at least 20 years of citizenship to be president
  
• criminalize use of false and misleading information in political campaign activities
  

As a physician politician, you have a nation to heal. Risk your personal future for the good of the nation. Lead the Democratic Party back to Jeffersonian ideals. Put people above politics. Help Democrats in public office earn the consent of the governed by representing the public interest, not corporate and special interests. Howard, help us take back America and restore democracy for we the people. Do what’s right. Do more than raise money – raise hopes.

Joel S. Hirschhorn’s current book is Sprawl Kills – How Blandburbs Steal Your Time, Health and Money; his next book is Fake Democracy – Status Quo Busting to Save Our Republic. He can be reached through www.sprawlkills.com.

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