I frankly don't know if Joe and I will beat the Republican Media Machine in November. I know that the American people want change and I know that Joe and I can lead the country through that change, but I also know this country has been convinced before to buy a mirage draped in a Republican flag. I would like to believe that the Republican machine has weakened since it kept a majority of Americans believing that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and that Saddam was complicit in 9/11. Yet today, when most Americans believe Governor Palin actually did sell a state plane on eBay, and they believe she actually returned rather than spend more than $200 million dollars authorized for a bridge to nowhere, it's clear the Republican Media Machine has only strengthened.
As I look ahead to the next seven weeks, I know that I must respond to the Republicans. I must try to cut through the fog of lies and get my message to America. But I don't believe that it is good for the Campaign or America that another presidential election be 'focused on' and 'driven by' Republican tricks.
I started this journey because I wanted to serve. But if I run the 'tried and true' campaign, the Republican machine will do what it does best, they will control the media and win the hearts and minds of this country. Two years later, the country will realize that it squandered another opportunity to throw the bums out. Concerned citizens will try to effect change but many more will be subject to a paralysis of fear caused by a steady diet of Rovemeal for breakfast, lunch and dinner dished out at Fox News.
So I've decided to change the campaign, reducing or curtailing many traditional activities and focusing the majority of activity on service, the kind of change oriented service I want to be responsible for whether I am in the White House or at home in Chicago.
For the traditional campaign, Joe and I will cut our campaign stops in half. We will travel fewer days and make fewer stops. Those stops will be less filled with stump speeches and more focused on sustaining an open dialog about our activities that will drive real change.
We will make improvements on one area in the traditional campaign, advertising. It's time to change our advertising firm and better tell our story. I would like to eliminate all commercials that look like PowerPoint presentations and change those where a narrator talks about John McCain. We have millions of volunteers who can tell their story about how an effective engine for change (such as what we've created in this campaign) can and and will work. We need to put those Americans, real people, on the air. When we need to address Republican lies, I think there are more effective videos on YouTube than our commercials. I frankly don't know if anyone can effectively show John McCain's opposing truths, Republican unethical activity or that Party's steady stream of deceit without soiling themselves. We shouldn't tell America what they should think, but I think we can do a better job of showing the truth.
But I would like to focus less on traditional campaigning. It is difficult for many citizens to envision real change. Everything they see politicians do on television is just too familiar. They know that nothing politicians say will lead to action, ... without some proof that we can begin that action.
So starting in two weeks, the campaign will curtail a significant portion of its traditional campaigning and begin an effort (via volunteers and internet communications) to ignite the kind of bottom up change we've been speaking of.
To begin, we would convert three of our campaign offices into 7 day a week policy centers. These centers would form the basis for an 'engine for change', efforts based outside of Washington that would continue and grow regardless of the outcome of the election.
It is clear that as citizens of the United States, we need to make immediate strides forward in the areas of business growth, economic policy, and energy. So I would like to form three groups to directly address these issues:
Scranton Project - When is the last time you heard or read "Buy America". Don't you think that's odd, considering that unless this country highly competitive in designing, building and buying products, there won't be job growth? Understand that I am not saying that the United States should not fully participate in the global economy. To the contrary, I am saying that to be in that market, we must produce as much as we consume. If we don't start making and buying more in America, we won't be able to pay our bills for what we've already purchased from China.
Based in Scranton, PA, this team would begin to vet the best ideas for restoring America's competitive position in new and existing markets in the world. Using donor funds, the Project would promote the best ideas and efforts of individuals, small and large companies to improve and expand product design and manufacturing in America.
Chicago Project - The Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac meltdown is part of a larger debt problem facing this country. It's an issue that if not addressed will threaten not only our nation's financial health but its national security. The Chicago Project would address issues caused by our 10 trillion in federal debt, 10 trillion in housing debt and nearly 4 trillion in consumer debt. The goal would be to develop fiscal policy that encourages growth and business development while limiting expenditures that don't improve infrastructure needed for growth.
Houston Project - Our dependence on foreign oil impedes the country's progress on several fronts, including increasing the cost of business, increasing the national debt and exposing us to increased threats to national security. This team would work with individuals, small and large companies to promote policy, ideas and new directions in addressing energy needs. The project would initially focus on near and mid-term solutions that encourage new products that drive energy efficiency. This would provide two very practical and immediate benefits: 1. These new solutions would be developed and largely built here in America, expanding jobs and helping our economy and 2. This effort would make it possible to significantly reduce the energy consumption in cars, homes and businesses and thus extending the life of known energy reserves. This would provide more time to develop longer term solutions.
I hope you will join me in our effort to create an Engine for Change.
Signed, Fake Barak
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