Resilience. We need to rise. We have everything we need to create who we are and ensure our government officials see who we are.

Like you, I demand an end to the absurd mandates that have been nothing less than comical, if you can laugh at the fact that officials were clever enough to convince the American people to literally and voluntarily cut off our own oxygen supply. . . sometimes with double masking. Our children walk around with snot filled, bacteria laden rags on their faces that drop, get stepped on in the school yard and then back on their faces they go. One silver lining? Comedians will have fodder for the next 1000 years after we are done with this episode of insanity.

What’s even more maniacal? As we face an obesity epidemic with one out of three adults obese and facing horrific chronic health ailments and now one out of five children face the same fate, we can recognize that with 80% of the covid dead being such victims, we have an entirely OTHER conversation that is immediate and life threatening to us all given we see that when you have a hugely vulnerable society with a large elderly population (the baby boomers) plus a huge obese population facing life threatening status (dietary diseases are the number two killer in our country, second to smoking), we will face pandemics for years to come, just as the US Surgeon General called out in 2001 – “Obesity is becoming an epidemic and it’s a pandemic in the making.”

So, this is the time to think radically different. Here are a sampling of my ideas as Governor of California:

1) Time To End War: If leaders have a conflict, they can get into a boxing ring themselves with the other leader they have a problem with and “we, the people” will buy popcorn and watch them duke it out and see who really wants peace.

2) Transportation: Time to mandate all elected officials to take public transportation ONLY. They must get rid of their own cars and participate in our public system given they are public servants. Watch how quickly our public transportation system improves.

3) Economy: Time for cooperatives to rise. Nonprofits have served as a very good example of how to run an organization while providing a service to the people. If you want to start a cooperative grocery store, cafe or business. . . our government should support you instead of singular individuals who make grand profits while pitting their workers into poverty.

4) Infrastructure: Who really needs a huge garage to fill with junk? Let’s reimagine our neighborhoods that lack cafes and grocery stores and support homeowners to take charge of their neighborhoods to fill these needs from their own garages. Our government should provide grants and more to support such needs while also providing a seed stipend to all homeowners with a yard to start a micro farm to grow food and share with the community.

5) Health: High time to recognize we have an obesity problem in our country that is hurting us all. Let’s regenerate our schools to become working farms to help grow food for the entire community, while empowering our students to understand good food, healthy soil and the value of nurturing. We need to tackle the childhood obesity rates so the entire society can thrive and live healthy.

6) Animal Rights: End animal experiments that create harm, trauma and pain to sentient creatures. Most experiments are no longer necessary. Let’s put them out of business!

7) Food Forests: Let’s create food forests in our community. Plant a fruit tree instead of meaningless decorative trees, so everyone can eat without worry. We can harvest trees that have been forgotten – such as the oak and bay trees, which provide wonderful nutrition, helps to mitigate fires and provides a local food resource.

8) Death: Nobody should have to pay huge sums to put a loved one to rest. We can create a program to help regrow our forests while honoring our dead. Instead of expensive caskets, land and tombstones, trees can serve to honor our legacies. Given the state already has a budget for our forest lands, people can augment to initiatives into one – honoring our dead and creating national sanctuaries for us to preserve. This is already being done by private companies that charge heavy prices. We don’t to make this an elite option for the few – we need to make sure everyone has a chance to provide a respectful and thoughtful end of life act for their loved ones.

9) Elderly: We have an emerging crisis, a heavy burden on our younger generation who will be carrying the load of taking care of a large elderly society – the baby boomers. While they age and need more care in a culture that has never respected the caregiver with either proper compensation or support, now is the time to raise the level of pay and recognition. To care for others, whether you are a teacher or a care provider, is a heart filled yet demanding work. Our society must recognize that we need reshape incentives and financial compensation for these incredible people, and that work should first start with our own families, as more often than not, families will care for their elders on a much higher level if they have the support. We ought to have tax incentives, just like childcare incentives, and provide a network of home care professionals who can support the home caregivers.

Housing: We have the answers to affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity. Instead of big investors profiting off the people, we, the people can build our own houses for one another. The structure is already in place, it just takes the right energy and commitment. What’s more is it’s time to rethink housing structures and needs. Is small apartment living so bad? Could a percentage of rent be used as secure investments for future housing to help those who do not have the large initial resources and who are being stripped of their financial worth by greedy corporate landlords? Could we rethink resources used by homebuilders? Cob and adobe homes are tried and true methods for long lasting structures, reducing our need for valuable wood and transportation.

Time to think different . . . WE, THE PEOPLE, HAVE THE ANSWERS. Don’t give away our power to those who exploit us.