Change

This is a piece that I submitted today to Barack Obama's transition website, change.gov, looking for people's vision for where America can be.

This campaign means change. My hope is that it means a change from the rule that Corporate America has on the citizens of this country. I hope to see a bill of rights for employees and a bill of rights for consumers that protects everyone from corporate greed.

All employees, especially those of large corporations like myself, should have the right to protest when wage increases, health benefits, and other rewards for working are cut. Employees should have the right to refuse a job re-assignment or relocation, permanent or temporary, without fear of being punished or fired by their employer. Employees should be able to leave their jobs without feeling obligated to stay in a bad environment just because there is a small pot of lifetime health benefits and/or a pension at the end of the rainbow. My work environment has become almost toxic because we have no rights to object to or protest the actions the company is taking to protect itself at the expense of our mental and physical health. These are all problems that myself, my colleagues, and family face right now.

Consumers should have the right to comparable choices for EVERY product. Right now, I have to choose between having certain programming and features and a more affordable, higher quality bundle of TV/phone/internet service. Consumers should have the right NOT to be on the losing end when content and service providers can't agree on the best way for each of them to make money. Consumers, as employees, should be given choices (by their employer) in different health care providers without having to compromise service or quality for price. Consumers should have the right to shop around for comparable services and not face local monopolies (such as a single regional phone carrier or a single cable company who don't offer competitive products). We can choose between banks, supermarkets, pharmacies, and gas stations.

Since every citizen is both an employee and a consumer, my vision for change is that every citizen has these basic rights, and with these basic rights, the country will function as a better place.