Hunger Strike Day #35: NEWS - Too good to continue; Too bad to stop

CUT WAR FUND PEACE $200B FAST - Campaign significantly altered tonight. I returned tonight to refuge, lugging the 50 lbs of my stuff the 30 blocks to refuge where I expect to be until Congress returns early next week.

I expect to hold at Day #35: I'll accept food and shelter the 3-4 days Congress is off the Hill; and will Fast and Occupy the Hill 24 hr/day the 3-4 days Congress is ON the Hill. I expect. My energy level is extremely low and my mind is not clear, but I suspect that this is how I will proceed.

Why altering the campaign now?

EXTREMELY ENCOURAGING NEWS / CONDITIONS TOWARD THE GOAL OF THIS CAMPAIGN - CUT WAR FUND PEACE:

• The impact on the Congress folks that pass me on the Hill has been far more rapid than I would have expected. Yes, this is just my subjective view but with the News featuring $ Trillion bleeding as far as the eye can see, HIGHLIGHTING the need for FUNDS - the combination of MLK blaring - "A nation that spends more on military than social uplift is facing spiritual death;" the signage highlighting that fact (below), and my intoning it into their ears as they pass - I judge that the issue "framing" - cut MILITARY Entitlements $200B - is penetrating much faster than I'd anticipated. Hence, I see diminishing returns from continuing the 7 day per week Occupation / Hunger Strike. Overkill right now.
  
• Last two days emphasis on State Department signals a dramatic shift from War to PeaceMaking. Hillary Clinton: "Robust diplomacy and effective development are the best long term tools for securing America's future."
• Immediate calls to all relevant Israel/Gaza parties in the Mideast placed by Barack further signals shift from War to PeaceBuilding.
• Obama's Speech comment that extreme might does not permit ABUSE was targeted at Israel!!!! and the US.
  
• Immediate designation of George Mitchell, hero of No. Ireland PeaceMaking fame to solve Israel / Palestine FURTHER signals shift from WarMaking to PeaceBuilding.
• Barack declaration in Inaugural Address committing to clean water, food, education for the poor in poor countries. (central to Plan B 3.0).
  
• Ditto order to shut Guantanamo.
• Ditto order to end Torture.
• Substantial emphasis on Greening America / Slowing Global warming in the Stimulus Plan. Although details not yet sufficient.
• No mention of Nuclear power yet in Barack's plans.
• Al Gore addresses Senate next Wednesday on urgency of addressing Climate Change!!!
  
• And other good news I'm too depleted to recall.

BAD NEWS:

• No sign of a wartime speed campaign to halt Global Warming - Plan B 3.0
• WhiteHouse.gov says cap and trade for carbon. NOOOOO!!!!! TAX SHIFT from Income Tax to Carbon Tax is what is needed!!!!
  
• "Clean" coal figures prominently in Barack's energy plan. NO!!!! There is no such thing, and never will be. VERY BAD NEWS.
• Plan on the new WhiteHouse.gov site calls for 80% reduction in greenhouse gasses by 2050. 30 YEARS TOO LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Far to frequent allusions to "Entitlements" (Soc Security and Medicare) as the place to cut; NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MILITARY ENTITLEMENTS are the place to cut!!!!!!!!!! WE MUST MAKE THIS PART OF THE DEBATE - IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  

Too good to continue the full Strike / Occupation. I need to get my head clear and digest current and upcoming developments to recalibrate my actions.

Too BAD to stop. Nothing has changed in the need for $200B DOD Budget shift to Plan B 3.0 at WARTIME SPEED, and this is FAR from certain at this moment.

By adjusting the campaign as outlined above I can do my part to keep pressure on Congress, to do my part to ENCOURAGE congress to do the right thing - but for much longer than the 15 days or so I'd otherwise have left. And by holding at Day 35, if I need to ESCALATE the pressure from there I can revert to the full Hunger Strike and Occupation!

(Sorry for all the typos but I'm pretty tired.)