Skittish About Change?
One hundred and twenty days ago, as a result of the 2008 Presidential election a new President was sworn into office. Americans from all walks of life voted for Barack Obama to lead the United States into a new direction. Once again, as it has done so in the past, America voted for what it perceived as change. Now, for their basic political survival, the GOP would like for nothing more than America to become overwhelmingly skittish about their vote.
A right to center friend of mine recently said to me that President Obama’s slogan “Change You Can Believe In”, was merely a catch phrase. I stated it was no different than Ronald Reagan running on “It’s Morning In America” . In each case the point was we were at a place where we needed a new direction and each candidate had to find an economic way to convey that message. Another friend of mine who recently went through a divorce told me the hardest thing about marriage is that you have to deal with another person. I laughed out loud because it was such a contradiction. What would marriage be without another person on the other end? But then the whole truth of it started to sink in and I began to think about how America voted for change and now that the process of change has begun, its’ greatest challenge is the fact that a great deal of Americans are frightened to succumb to the fact that the hardest thing about change is that it means that things will be different than before. No matter how well it was spelled out during the election, this country is not used to a candidate becoming President and then aggressively and immediately pursing the agenda they campaigned on. So what does change actually mean?
Change means that driving a Hummer will never be practical no matter where one lives, unless it’s hauling a boat, trailer or small island behind it.
Change means that yes, the same folks who in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s painted all welfare recipients as fat black Kentucky Fried Chicken eating mothers with ten kids and no fathers would be the same corporate big shots in the 2000’s asking the government for billions in bail outs, while still believing giving needy individuals help is a form of socialism in a world controlled by voters registered by A.C.O.R.N..
Change is knowing that universal health care is needed and not allowing Washington Senators whom have never once in their lives had to think about getting their front teeth yanked only because it’s cheaper than root canal surgery, capitulate over the cost of passing it, because they’re more interested in making it look as if a sitting President is failing rather than what their constituent’s grills (teeth) look like in both rural and urban America.
Change means that this time, “No Child Left Behind” also includes food, nutrition and affordable housing. That fat cats who killed our economy with bad mortgages can’t hide behind pundits on Fox News and blame it on poor people that they themselves approved the high risk loans for. Once again, invoking the image of the welfare queen but this time instead of feasting on government cheese, they’re buying up mansions somewhere near Martin Luther King Blvd. in some urban city in America. More change is treating those lenders the same way Bernie Medoff was treated.
Change means that the party that is not the majority can not and will be called out every single time they beat down new ideas and fail to have ones of their own… that are not like the old ones they had before that didn’t work. It also means we as a people can not buy into their inane concept that after six months of a four year term we should even be thinking about whether Sarah Palin is going to run. The campaign is over, it’s time to take bold action on what was voted for with the understanding it takes more than 120 days. And that trumped up distractions from birth certificates to Supreme Court Nominees not being able to tout the wisdom gained from their heritage and background will be treated as just that, distractions.
Change is folks bucking up and knowing the mess that we’re in is not easy to get out of and acknowledging the hard fact that this is the change that was inevitable for this country’s survival and in some cases, the world’s: a move towards non-fossil fuels, drastic restructuring of the auto industry, capitalism that actually cares and sets limits not where the top is but where our bottom should be and does so not with new solutions on welfare but service. We watched futuristic movies with their electric cars buzzing along and homes powered by waste and solar panels, but we never saw the action and hard choices that occurred to make that a cinematic reality. Be excited you’re living through it. Kicking and screaming, that kind of change is inevitable. It’s happening. These are the growing pains.
Change is still about being daring and not retreating to the past ideas that the military is the only facet of our country that is worth investing a trillion dollars in without the blink of an eye. This philosophy can only lead to a crumbling infrastructure, a weak dollar, hunger, low G.N.P. , the dependance on imports and shrinking scientific innovation. Don’t believe me? Ask Russia. And finally addressing our domestic problems as if it is what it actually is, our current 9/11, will cost additional money. Yes, that means taxes. Think not raising taxes will not send us over a cliff? Ask post Prop 13 California why the only way they can make ends meet is to continue to make steep cuts in education and health and are now working up numbers to see what they could make off of legalizing marijuana.
Change is understanding fully that ALL news media outlets are profit making entities and they will report on and in a manner that they perceive will attract viewers and make them a potential profit. And that’s okay, that’s what they’re in business to do. But know, the best way to know for one’s self is to get involved with your community.
Change means, things will be different than before and though at times it can rock the boat, it demands a few to be fearless and for those who are not capable of that to recognize when leadership dares to be so and for leadership not to waver in the face of challenge. Because once again, the hard thing about change is that it means that things will be different than they were before.
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