Dear Santa Grandma Yule-

I've got everything material I want this year, and I don't expect you to fix my love life, so I thought I'd ask for something for everyone else. Any chance I could get a Democracy this holiday?

I'm not asking for anything outrageous. A basic, working democracy based on the U.S. Constitution will suit me fine. Everybody wants to amend it, but at the moment, let's work with what is already there. Tell the courts that all rights not included in the Constitution are specifically reserved to the people. This is important, because a lot of people seem to think we don't have a right to privacy if it isn't spelled out. Between you and me, Grandma, that's simply ass backwards.

This right to privacy deal is a big thing, because we haven't been able to convince these guys that women are people. They think they can make a law that says a pregnant woman has to die if she's too sick to give birth. If she's too poor to pay a doctor to skirt the law, she's also probably too poor to raise a child. Funny how these people love fetuses so much, but they don't care much for kids -- or their mothers, for that matter. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a pill a woman could take to keep her from having a baby she doesn't want. You know, something she could buy at the drugstore and use in the privacy of her home? I'm sure it would have some risks, but not nearly as many as a coat hanger. See what you can do about that, ok?

When we get that settled, we need to fix our elections. Not the way the last two have been "fixed" - that isn't helping anyone- but a system where everyone who's qualified and who wants to vote gets to; where those votes have paper trails; everyone of those votes is counted in an open, transparent and non-partisan fashion; and where the people in charge of the votes aren't allowed to work for any of the campaigns they're supposed to oversee. Not that I don't trust people, mind you, I just remember how government workers are supposed to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

That "appearance of impropriety" rule is getting a beating these days. Can we have a law that says you can't go work for the same companies over which you used to have Congressional oversight ? I know that seems a ridiculous, obvious request but you'd be surprised how many Congressmen go work for drug companies they used to regulate. I'm sure it's completely innocent, but there is that appearance, so let's make sure it's not a problem.

Now, our government gives money to organizations that help people all over the world, and that's great! The problem is that lately they've been imposing this thing called a "gag rule" which limits the info these agencies can hand out if they take U.S. money. Unfortunately, lots - as in millions- of people will die without this information. Since we're the country that was founded to protect free speech, and we value education - especially when it can prevent a world-wide pandemic- can you make the gag go away? I'm pretty sure no one will miss it.

I've got a few cousins in the military. I'd like them to be safe at home with their families for the holidays. There's nothing going on in the world that they're needed for right now. They don't want to be overseas, and the people overseas don't want them there, so let's give everyone what they want. It would be nice to have them home. While you're at it, bring the National Guard home, too. We've been having some crazy weather in the states, and without the Guard, we don't have enough people to handle natural disasters and such. I'd feel safer if they were here. I don't feel safe at all with them gone.

Back to the democracy thing. Democracy means that people get to vote. So let's have the people's government pay for elections. The public airwaves could be used for free, of course, and access would be equal for all candidates. Can you believe it ? The way things are now, big companies put millions of dollars into elections! Since companies can't vote, they shouldn't have to pay the cost of elections. It just doesn't look right - that "appearance" thing, again. Hey, you know what else? We have this crazy law that says a corporation is a person. That's just dumb. Can we get rid of that one?

In fact, there's a lot of dumb stuff in our democratic laws! There's a lot of stuff missing, too. Like, why don't we have a Department of Peace? How are we ever going to have peace if no one is working on it? Seems like Congressional oversight on how we create a more peaceful culture, and encourage peace in the world, would be an obvious necessity in a civilized culture. We are still trying to have a civilization here, right?

A lot of this stuff should be easy. We have great technology now. I can talk to anyone in the world, almost for free, and people who never would have met before can get together and discuss ideas and improvements. One thing, though - we have the technology to do things that the laws don't address. Since our technology is going to increase at an ever-increasing rate, maybe we should have a Department of Technology to work out the kinks - you know, copyrights, fair access, regulation of charges, custody laws, cloning, etc. I can't believe we don't already have one!

Hmmm - that's a lot. I don't want to be greedy. There's a lot of greed going on these days. Maybe I should wrap up by asking that all of our civil rights, and all of our checks and balances stay in place. I wouldn't want anyone messing with stuff that works. I'd also be suspicious of why anyone would oppose civil rights and checks and balances. In an honest, open system, fairness ought to be automatic. Equal means Everybody. Who doesn't get that?

Well, I've taken up enough of your time. Have a pleasant trip this year.

Goddess bless us, every one!

Morgaine