The issues are still all there.  Progressives have their ‘work cut out’.  Only progressives can bring real change.

Here are few issues:

• Thoughts of many—if not majority—of Americans and their support of issues defy concept of human rights, social justice and fairness to all, Americans and beyond.  Progressives, read ‘A look At The Year 2009’ and join the dialog.
• Health care reform bill has not been passed yet.
• Financial Reform regulating Banking, Insurance, and other financial industries has been diluted to the point of no reform, at best reform on the fringes.  There is no bill yet.
• Ambivalence of Americans on Energy issues still lingers.
• Unemployment is high.  “Shovel ready” initiatives are still slow.  Small business loan is tangled up with financial reform quagmire.
• Human Rights to all Americans are still denied.
• More Americans support war in Afghanistan.
• Powerful bankers, insurance companies, oil companies, and the like have formed unofficial cartels and are challenging the people’s wishes.

The issues are as grim as it was in 2009 and during Bush era as well.

The Public Option is as elusive as ever, most likely it will not be in the final version.  The health insurance companies may still be out of reach of SEC.  Senate does not want Anti-trust Law provisions extended to the health insurance companies.  Senator Max Baucus took six months to try for Republican participation in Health reform, which eventually produced no Republican participation.  And the President, the majority leader, and the Democratic caucus looked on, but Baucus was not asked to stop trying even after six weeks!

Real Financial Reform regulating Banking, Insurance and other financial institutions has evaporated because all—okay, almost all— the members of the Congress are beneficiaries of these financial institutions.  When the bill will come out of the reconciliation, if the current trend continues, there could be reform only at the fringes, cosmetic that is.  The financial institutions will remain as big as ever.  The cliché will remain the same: they are too big to let them fail; otherwise they will bring the country down!  In the meantime, the banks are doing everything other than what they are supposed to do—LOANING money to small businesses and the public.  Homeowners were hoodwinked, in the first place, to take a loan they cannot pay (I am not absolving the homeowners of there responsibility, but it is much more than that) and then they are not being helped with a reasonable way out.

There is enough reason to start a Public (Federal) Bank network.  And a Public Health Insurance company network.

Energy situation still remain the same.  We, the drivers, conserve only marginally—we do not slow down, we do not do planned, consolidated driving, and we are still after bigger cars and trucks! Progressives, read ‘A look At The Year 2009’ and join the dialog.

Human rights to Homosexuals and other groups are still denied.  Imposition of one’s values over others is still acceptable.

War will not keep us safe.  Peace in Middle East might take the lifeblood out of the Jihadi movement and terrorist activities, and create a favorable attitude towards America and Americans, which might make us safer.

Our expectation from President Obama is real change, not on the fringes.