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[Replaced_Texan]

A few weeks ago, the liberal blogoverse was atwitter about the fact that Marshall Wittman, former staffer to John McCain, quit his job and joined the Democratic Leadership Council. Wittman likes to think of himself as bringing back the tradition of Roosevelt.

Anyhow, Marshall is blogging again (for some reason in the third person...Giblets does it better) at http://www.bullmooseblog.com, and he started with some suggestions for the Kerry administration:

• Subsequent to the 2002 campaign, the Bushies have further divided the country with their hubris, arrogance, incompetence and mendacity and Rovian scorched earth political campaign.
  
  But, enough of the high road!
  
  The Moose believes that the first challenge of a Kerry Presidency is to bring the country together. That will be no easy task. It remains to be seen whether his administration will be more willing to break with its ideological base than a Bush team that has been slavishly loyal to its corporate paymasters. The lefties will wail and the righties will grumble. But, in order to govern in a closely divided country, President Kerry must cut the Gordian knot.
  
  Always seeking the positive, the Moose offers President-elect Kerry (granted that title has not yet been achieved) some suggestions.
  
  1. Construct a cabinet of national unity. Name Republicans to positions of prominence (and that does not mean HUD or Transportation).
  
  2. Focus on legislative issues that have bi-partisan support and span the ideological divide such as drug importation, patient’s bill of rights and restraining congressional spending. The President should announce the formation of a Commission to End Corporate Welfare As We Know It (CECWAWKI).
  
  3. Advance a bold reform agenda. Create bi-partisan working groups to offer the Administration ideas to reform the military, entitlements, the tax code and the health care system. Restrain federal spending by declaring war on appropriations earmarks and reform the budget process. Promote efforts at the state level for non-partisan redistricting and open primaries to de-polarize the political process. These ideas must be truly bi-partisan and the Administration’s charge is to think outside the box to reform these programs.
  
  4. Challenge Americans, particularly young Americans, to “enlist in causes greater than their self-interest.” Make clear to the American people that JFK’s challenge to the America in the cold war “Ask not…” is applicable in the war against terror. Perhaps, also create a national security trust fund that will come from rolling back tax cuts for the very wealth. Expand Americorps, the Peace Corps and the short-term military enlistment option.
  
  The Moose believes that we have a war to win against terrorist enemies that seek to destroy us. National unity is job number one. And for the new President, uniting the country should come before petty partisanship.

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