O/D/1 Blog
Mark Leon Goldberg at 5/16/2008 10:43AM
Mark Leon Goldberg at 5/15/2008 12:48PM
Travis Moore at 5/14/2008 5:07PM
The U.S. Image in the World
Historically, America's reputation for promoting freedom, justice, peace, and prosperity has made the United States among the most respected nations in the world. More recently, our standing in the eyes of the world has waned.
The next U.S. president will have an opportunity, On Day One, to present a new face to the world, strengthen America's reputation, and foster international cooperation on some of the world's most pressing problems -- such as poverty, nuclear proliferation, and climate change.
End the cowboy diplomacy. The next President needs to begin their term by restoring American credibility and American political and moral authority around the globe by reaching out to the rest of the world.
Increase US foreign aid. The US currently gives the LEAST % of GDP than all other industrialized countries. I think .7
On day 1, the new American President should make clear to the UN that we will no longer fund a multilateral organization without necessary accountability. We should ensure that our money does not go towards human rights panels comprising the world's worst human-rights abusers that manipulate their work for anti-Israel sloganeering; Peacekeeping forces that routinely victimize women and children for sexual exploitation and unrealistic ROEs; corruption that benefits dictators.
President Reagan's EO 12606 required government agencies to file family-impact statements before implementing policies that affect families, and to provide "adequate rationale" for any negative impact those policies might have on families.
The next President should issue a similar directive that includes not only policies that affect Americans, but also global polices that affect the international community and which are not directly related to national security interests.
In your inaugural address, state that 'This country has never been, is not now, and will never be a "Christian" nation. We are a melting pot of all races, creeds, and religions, and it is this very diversity which makes us the strongest nation on earth. We must always guard against the greatest of all evils - the attempt to legislate morality.
Americans need to think of themselves as global citizens and collaborate with other citizens and nations in the world-- We can't afford to go it alone!
Reinstate habeas corpus, end torture, end rendition, restore our commitment to our laws and international law. Acknowledge all humans inherent dignity, and plead for the right to even ask forgiveness from the world.
We need to end the empty rhetoric, turn the page on the failed politics and policies of the past, and end the status quo in Washington. Change. That's the most important idea for our next president.
He or she should convene a special meeting of world leaders for a giant brainstorm on addressing global issues- those that bleed beyond boarders and defy claims of sovereignty. Show that the U.S. has a renewed commitment to global cooperation and an open-mindedness that has been sorely lacking in the current administration.
Improve the level of global education among every single US student! Everyone should be able to ID countries on a map and know basic and accurate information about other cultures, global institutions and current global affairs.
