Change

[BonosSaint]

Although an inspirer can be a catalyst for change, it is often the inspired who become the implements of change.

Change is on our backs.

Whoever wins, what kind of change do you want to see and how do you personally plan to help implement it (if you do)?

 

[MadelynIris]

Great, great question.

I'm considering lending a couple of hands to the efforts in Iraq or Afghanistan.

 

[yolland]

Whoever wins, what kind of change do you want to see and how do you personally plan to help implement it (if you do)?

I guess "what kind of change I want to see" would more or less be synonymous with the issues I listed as being most on my mind in amy's "Most Important Issue In The US Election" thread awhile back:

The economy, international diplomacy, environmental/energy policy, Iraq, Afghanistan/Pakistan, healthcare, education, civil rights (including LGBT rights and racial inequities in criminal justice), the Israeli/Palestinian peace process, and the anticipated two Supreme Court appointments

On a local level, I'm already involved in volunteering and/or activism relevant to three of those--environment, education and healthcare--and I regularly write to my Congressmen on various issues (just received a two-page letter of response from one of our Senators today concerning habeas corpus rights for GWOT detainees). At this point, I don't really see my level of involvement increasing much beyond that plus my modest financial support of various national nonprofits.

To the extent that I'm hopeful for "change" beyond that, it would have to do with the possibility that the next election might draw enough highly motivated young people into campaign work that a small percentage of them will be inspired to direct their shortterm or longterm career plans towards politics, social work, and related arenas where they can continue to work directly on those kinds of issues. I don't see any sort of massive nationwide grassroots movement along the lines of the Civil Rights Movement or the '60s antiwar movement emerging.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Although an inspirer can be a catalyst for change, it is often the inspired who become the implements of change.

Change is on our backs.

Whoever wins, what kind of change do you want to see and how do you personally plan to help implement it (if you do)?

this is a little sidetracking, but is there an expectation of any kind that people do their own personal bit to contribute? Maybe I live in a lazy society where we want the government to do government things - we want them to build a health system that is attainable and that works (because we pay for it after all, and we are voting for them to act on our behalf), we want kids to read and write at the end of school and be able to go into a trade, uni, or stable work with reasonable conditions (because we pay for it after all, and we are voting for them to act on our behalf), we want an ability to afford to live (because we pay for it, after all and we are voting for them to act on our behalf), we want stability, social security, an economy which is not going to bite us hard, personally (because we pay for it after all, and we are voting for them to act on our behalf).

Isn't all this what the US wants/needs? I don't think people have excessively high expectations, generally, but on a surface level they just want life to be manageable, they want the things which are out of their own personal control (like taxes and so on) to be managed by those who we entrust to do it in a way we can all actually afford and manage. It's not some unrealistic idyllic utopia.

 

[Jeannieco]

This evening I caught Senator Obama's town hall meeting in Ohio at a high school gym that aired on c-span and he spoke exactly of this issue. Change is about us. It's about us taking action and participating in Democracy, not merely watching it as by-standers. I loved one of his plans he talked about for getting the special interests out of Congress.
This idea he has is brilliant. He wants ALL of the closed door debates in Congress to be aired on C-span so the public can see exactly what is going on so they cannot be unduly influenced by corporations with big money.
Yes.. we the people are the only special interest group that should matter to Congress. After all, we are the ones that put them there and I believe that Senator Obama is the catalyst for this radical change in government. He is going to give it back to us, BRAVO!!! But only if we participate.
The skeptics say he has no plans? Well I say they aren't listening.

 

[financeguy]

Probably a better understanding of basic economics.

 

[U2isthebest]

This is an excellent question. There's so much that I feel needs to change, and so many things I want to be involved in, that it's going to take me a few days to sort out what I feel will be truly the most important and also the most possible for me to invest a big portion of my time and focus on.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Is this a literal question then, BS? I find the literal answers rather interesting, I gotta say.

 

[BonosSaint]

Oh, I'm often literal. I like to see how somebody's philosophy (for lack of a better word) influences their day to day lives.

 

[redhotswami]

i was inspired by a wonderful person in my life. i'm now making steps to pursue a career change so i can give back in the very same way. sort of like passing on the torch. very cool thread!