by Nathaniel Batchelder Thinking about the November Elections, it is clear to me that We The People must stand in the gap to oppose America’s drift toward becoming a nation and government of, for, and by the rich. From now till the elections, I implore every person passionate about justice and peace to be busy encouraging a huge voter turn-out in November for candidates who will legislate for the common good and general interest of all people and earth’s challenged environment. I would love it if 10 million Americans would pen a brief expression of their hopes and the crucial significance of voting in November, and send their note to everyone in their address book. This is mine. I would love it if thousands would be in telephone touch with friends and family, extending the same message. Just imagine more people voting in 2012 than in 2008. We can do it. Massive financial support for the politics of the 1% must be countered with People Power, doing all we can to encourage an outpouring of voting by The Reasonable Majority. Each of us can take our own personal action. You know the stakes, as I do: It is shocking that candidates on the national scene proudly profess commitment to more tax cuts for the rich, shifting tax burdens to the middle class and poor, and cutting whatever social programs ease the lives of America’s most vulnerable. They would repeal the Affordable Health Care Act, removing health insurance from some 30 million qualifying people. They would privatize Medicare with vouchers. They would shift resources out of public schools with vouchers. They oppose government regulation of industry, banking, and finance as “job killers”. They propose cutting the Environmental Protection Agency and opposing legislation to protect the air, the oceans, the land. They would pass a human life amendment to the Constitution restricting women’s reproductive choices, and have curtailed reproductive freedoms in every state they could. And, once again, we are hearing war talk accusing a foreign nation – Iran – of being a threat and source of weapons of mass destruction, reminiscent of the language that prepared America for war on Iraq. To block this agenda, and to support a different vision of our future, we must encourage everyone to register and vote. The economy, the middle class, the environment, the Supreme Court all stand threatened unless We The People win some elections. The November elections will define the direction of the United States either as a nation of, for, and by the 99%, or of, for, and by the 1%. Let’s Page 2, OPS, Sept-Oct 2012
all Get Out The Vote as our best hope in this election season. Keep Hope Alive. ///////
Save the Date 2012 PEACE FESTIVAL Sunday, November 11 11 am to 5 pm Civic Center Hall of Mirrors Downtown Okla. City Colorful Holiday Shopping Opportunities Benefit non-profits working for the Betterment of the human condition.
C OMMENTARY
A CHAIN LETTER TO AMERICA
Oklahoma Peace Strategy News is produced by The Peace House in Oklahoma City. It has been published since 1983. It is written, compiled, typeset, composed, labeled, and mailed by volunteers. Letters to the Editor and articles submitted for publication are welcome. They must be signed with a phone number and address for the author; however, requests for anonymous publication will be considered. OPS News reserves the right to edit for space and to refuse publication of statements that are libelous or unsubstantiated. Send to: The Peace House 2912 N. Robinson Okla. City, OK 73103 Or to phwebmail@cox.net Phone: 405-524-5577 Peace Education Institute 11404 N. Midwest Blvd. Jones, OK 73049 405-204-6479