NEXT STEPS

• Yes, the G20 is really a replacement for dealing with the whole world at the United Nations. The corporate oligarchy wants to control things in that smaller space. Great sign!

• I woke up this morning with my feet and ankles still sore from the walk. I guess I will be limping around for some time to come. We must travel to Boston today for a weekend memorial service for MB's sister-in-law who recently passed away after a long and valiant struggle against cancer.

• It appears that Obama has agreed to a deal to allow the super rich in the U.S. to keep their Bush-era tax cuts for some more years to come. This at the very time that "fiscal conservatives" clamor about the national debt. The rich make BIG money off the wars but they don't want to pay their fair share in taxes to cover the costs. Next up: Obama will attempt to raise the Social Security retirement age. Will rank-and-file Dems have the stuff to take on their president over these core issues?

• The Washington Post reports this morning that Obama's biggest concern right now is his own reelection. The rest of us can fend for ourselves. Here is a quote from the Post:

In his post-election remarks, the president has repeatedly expressed worries about "gridlock" in Washington. He has signaled that he wants to find big issues on which to compromise, with an eye toward his reelection campaign in 2012.

• After I return from Boston I need a couple of days to take it easy, sort through the stack of Global Network mail left unattended while I was on the peace walk, and then I must begin to get going on our 2011 international space organizing conference that will be held in Andover, Massachusetts. Looks like we will try to do the event in June (final date will depend on availability of meeting facilities) and the confab will have a Raytheon focus since they are headquartered in that state and have "missile offense" production facilities in Andover. Part of my thinking to join the Nipponzan Myohoji peace walk through Massachusetts in February is that it would be a good opportunity to talk with local peace activists about the Global Network's space conference.