Ronald Reagan claimed it in 1984, but it wasn't until November 5, 2008 that it really became true.
It's morning again in America. Our country is prouder, and stronger, and better.
Yesterday's excellent diary by Deoliver47, Jazz on the White House Lawn highlighted just one of the many facets of this new morning in America: a new appreciation for the arts within the White House. There have been several diaries in recent weeks about Obama and the arts, and it is one of the aspects of the new administration that thrills me.
But it was the comments to that diary that inspired me to write this one. And the biggest culprit was Ronald Singleterry. See below the fold for an explanation of the kaleidoscopic explosion he caused in my brain, and my resulting request of all of you.
It's so wonderfully sublime to remember a time when the White House was viewed as the people's house and shared with citizens to promote cultured understanding.
That statement goes beyond the issue of appreciation or respect for the arts. It speaks to the profound shift so many of us are anticipating in the fundamental role in which government is seen in our nation: as the servant of the people rather than their master. A participatory democratic structure, rather than an arrogant, secretive cabal that runs roughshod over our rights and our lives without feeling any obligation to be accountable to us. Now the White House will belong to us.
And then there is the phrase, "promote cultured understanding," which hints at another positive aspect of the coming administration, which is set forth more explicitly in this comment by Deoliver herself:
Barack has spoken about restoring the arts in schools, not just focusing on math and science.
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So . . . in a diary about the arts, we made incidental forays into political philosophy and public education -- and, who knows, probably other topics as well. (I didn't read all 447 comments.) Thinking about this, I began mentally cataloguing and prioritizing some of the changes I'm looking forward to in the next administration.
In doing so, I realized what an embarrassment of riches the Obama administration represents. No, it's not perfect (even I, one of his biggest boosters here, have seen some things I'm not happy about in the course of the transition), but however much there is to complain about, the contrast with the prior administration is still almost inconceivable in its breadth and magnitude. There are so many ways in which a new day is dawning.
And that brings me to the purpose of this diary: Enlisting your help to paint a collective picture of what that new day will look like, according to this community. I'd like to read your responses to this question:
What change(s) are you most looking forward to seeing when the Obama Administration replaces Bushco?
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Here are my top three -- although it was tough to narrow it down; there are two or three others that could just as easily have ended up on the list:
* Commitment to the Constitution
* Policy decisions being guided by a wide-ranging and comprehensive intelligence
* Open, honest, clear communication