No, I'm thinking about President Obama's joint congressional speech. He was quick to point people to the other side of this calamity -- growing opportunities to change things. I'm big on change, especially radical or transformative changes. Rarely are those kinds of changes considered, let alone attempted, in stable times. The New Deal is a prime example.
Of course, those kinds of big changes can also have substantial negative impact, depending on who's at the helm. Prime examples are the radical policy changes of Reagan and Dubya. They utterly transformed our country -- eroding the Middle Class, nurturing the wealthy, fostering corporate greed, limiting people's access to the American Dream, despoiling the environment, compromising civil rights -- I could go on, but it gets too depressing and enraging. I'm not naive. Change can be a force for evil as well as good.
But there are signs that after this misery is over, transformative, progressive change will come. Here are some:
1- A story in this morning's New York Times describes the public's response to the cadre of Republican governors who are refusing to expand unemployment benefits because it would "hurt business". The stimulus money comes with some strings attached -- and those strings are designed to provide benefits to workers who, for technical reasons, are being denied state benefits. Guess who's pissed off? Might it be workers? People in deep Red states who are seeing just what those Republican governors really value? You know, the ones who fight for the lives of the "unborn" but who are more than happy to screw the living if it protects business interests. C'mon guys. Keep it up. That is the best way I know to turn your state Blue the next time around.
2- Yesterday's news was the release of the President's budget. Word is that the budget will attempt to rapidly dismantle programs reflecting President Reagan's cynical view of government and his me-first, screw-the-commons policy positions. Rachel Maddow listed very effectively last night (don't you just love her??), ways in which the new budget will support efforts to limit climate change, promote reform of health care and education, encourage energy and transportation innovation, place limits on gas and oil companies, bring reduced subsidies to large agribusinesses, and overhaul the tax code to bring more economic balance to society.
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You gotta give the Republicans credit: They consistently put their money where there values are. Well, it's our turn. President Obama is about to insert Democratic values into his budget process. Any and all of his proposed changes will significantly alter American life and policy for the next generation and perhaps beyond. Hey Gipper? You spinning in your grave yet?
3- None of the changes that Liberals want can come unless the ranks of Republicans holding power are thinned (see #1). So public outcry against the Neanderthal economic policies of Republican governors and Congressmen/women is essential. But we also need Democrats to stand up and push for Democratic programs that reflect what President Obama constantly calls "American Values". For most of our history, the call to live up to the better part of ourselves, was both American and Progressive. Those values are what made us Reagan's shining city on the hill ...not the policies he promoted. To that end, a group of activists, Accountability Now PAC, intends on targeting Congressional Democrats who don't support Progressive values with their votes. While this initiative runs the risk of generating counter-productive infighting and compromising the ability of Democrats to pass legislation in the near-term, it's about time that Democratic voters start to hold wishy-washy Democratic incumbents accountable.
As an unabashed Liberal, someone who believes that the foundation of the word "progressive" is progress, I'm hopeful. If we're smart and aggressive, real change might finally come. We are in for very tough times, no question. Many of my fellow citizens, including me and my family, are going to suffer in ways we hadn't anticipated and may not be prepared for. But if out of that suffering comes the change we need to ensure a better future for my grandchildren and children everywhere, then I'm prepared to sacrifice for the long haul.
That's why I will continue to look for hope amidst the rubble of our economy and communities. Our generation's legacy is on the line.
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