Now Let's Rescue America: Nine Key Steps

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NOW LET'S RESCUE AMERICA: Nine Key Steps for the Left
By Van Jones
(A longer version of this essay was originally published on
HuffingtonPost.com)

READ THE FULL VERSION OF THIS ESSAY:
http://www.ellabakercenter.org/lists/lt.php?id=YkkBAQYGW1JKAwUKSAZaUw%3D%3D
HELP RESURRECT NEW ORLEANS. FIND OUT HOW:
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President George W. Bush's disastrous mishandling of Hurricane Katrina
exposes what is so desperately wrong with the right-wing ideology that now
controls the U.S. government. We now have a rare opportunity to make a bold
case for progressive approaches to the country's problems.

Everyone can see now that we need a well-funded, functional government
within U.S. borders — not an emaciated, revenue-starved one. It is more
clear than ever that over-funding the military and cutting services
actually makes us LESS safe — not more safe.

And it redeems those who have been concerned about racism, poverty, climate
destabilization, petro-chemical toxics and the perils of over-reliance on
oil. We can see that these are not just petty obsessions of the
"politically correct" crowd. They are life-and-death issues for real
people.

Everyday Americans are already seeing this and saying it. Finally, after a
long romance with those riverboat gamblers on the Right, the country is
ready to hear something sensible from our side. If we articulate a bold
action program, we can win support on a scale that we have not known for
decades.

FILL THE LEADERSHIP VACUUM: NINE KEY STEPS

We were right. Bush was wrong. By stepping forward immediately, we can
fill the huge, stunning leadership gap left by Team Bush.

The following nine steps are critical.

1. Let's tell America that we want to fully fund FEMA — by rolling back
the Bush tax cuts to at least Clinton-era levels. The rich must help secure
the country against the next disaster. Reckless revenue cuts that leave us
vulnerable must be repealed.

2. Let's declare that the Katrina's flood-waters washed the GOP's proposal
to repeal the "estate tax" off the table. There will be no tax breaks for
the mega-rich while the nation is recovering from this historic blow — and
preparing itself for the next one. Any revenue cuts would both impair the
rebuilding effort and risk lives down the road. Let's declare the repeal of
the so-called "death tax" to be: D.O.A. (Dead On Arrival).

3. Let's publicly demand that George W. Bush either apologize to the
people of the Gulf Coast for failing them — or else resign. It is time stop
fearing Bush Almighty, assuming that he and Karl Rove can keep trashing the
country and never pay a price. The man just impaled himself on his own
arrogance and contempt for life. Even conservative reporters were outraged
by his team's indifference and dishonesty. Under Bush, America abandoned
our poor, sick and disabled in a crisis — and the whole world saw it on
live TV. True patriots were appalled.

4. Let's resolve not to lose a single moment — pacing back and forth,
wringing our hands and trying not to appear too "partisan" or "blaming." Of
course, the Republicans are going to howl that we are "finger-pointing" or
"exploiting the tragedy." What else can they say for themselves at this
point? That Bush did a good job? Let them call us names. And let us stay
focused on ensuring that the thousands who perished did not die in vain.

5. Let's insist that New Orleans be rebuilt — under the direction of those
who have lived there for generations, not at the behest of big developers
or carpet-bagging profiteers like Halliburton. To that end, let's
passionately support grassroots organizations in the region like Community
Labor United, Mississippi Workers Center, Southern Empowerment Project and
Project South. And let's help any evacuees who relocate to our areas get
politically organized, so they can stay involved in the process.

6. Let's help rebuild the Gulf Coast on a visionary, environmentally
sustainable basis. (Alan AtKisson makes a beautiful, well-reasoned and
comprehensive case for rebuilding New Orleans as a model "green city":
http://www.ellabakercenter.org/lists/lt.php?id=YkkBAQYGW1xKAwUKSAZaUw%3D%3D
) All of our environmental sustainability, environmental justice and
eco-business networks can unite to make this happen.

7. Let's launch a national network of individuals to help secure from all
levels of government properly funded reconstruction and evacuee support.
(We are gathering signatures for such an effort:
http://www.ellabakercenter.org/lists/lt.php?id=YkkBAQYGW11KAwUKSAZaUw%3D%3D
) Let's push our mayors and city councils to pass "Sister City" ordinances
in solidarity with New Orleans and other hurricane-ravaged towns. To make
evacuee support a yearly budget item — through the entire decade of
rebuilding, if need be. To appoint a paid ombudsman to support local
evacuees and to coordinate information flow with Louisiana and Mississippi
officials.

8. Let's call for National Guard troops to be returned from Iraq,
especially those from Louisiana and Mississippi. The Katrina aftermath
shows how much we need our disaster relief forces to be back here, in the
United States. Let's tie, with a thousand strings, progressives working in
the recovery effort to the anti-war movement. (The United for Peace &
Justice statement, "The Gulf Wars" makes a convincing case for common
ground:
http://www.ellabakercenter.org/lists/lt.php?id=YkkBAQYHUlJKAwUKSAZaUw%3D%3D
)

9. And let us wage our own war: a war against forgetting. We must not let
the big media or the Right "orchestrate amnesia" by pushing this tragedy to
the back pages. We deserve levels of ongoing media attention that match and
exceed 9-11. Every writer, filmmaker and artist must share this shameful
story: a storm came, and this nation left its poor, Black and disabled
people behind to die. We must sear that fact into the memory of this
nation. This catastrophe — and its lessons — must become part of the
national legend. Only then, can we be assured that the mindset that
permitted it will never again lead this country.

Taking these steps — and dozens more like them — are the best ways for us
to honor the dead. Through bold action, we just may find the gift in this
hideous, grievous wound.

We could not save those who died needlessly on Mississippi rooftops and in
Louisiana attics. But we still have time to rescue America.

In the name and the memory of all those souls taken from us, let us begin.

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Van Jones is the National Executive Director of the Ella Baker Center For
Human Rights. He also serves on the boards of the Apollo Alliance,
Bioneers, Rainforest Action Network, Circle of Life and the Vasconcellos
Legacy Project.




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