"You can't move so fast that you try to change the mores faster than people can accept it. That doesn't mean you do nothing, but it means that you do the things that need to be done according to priority." - E. Roosevelt
Good morning! This being my first diary entry, I thought that I'd start with an appropriate quote. I hope to make this a daily thing as I'm sure that my wife will get a kick out of it. So..let us begin.....
I have always followed politics to some degree and probably more so this past election for a number of reasons. First the historical aspect of an african-american and a female candidate for the democratic nomination and second because we as a country were desperate for some kind of vision to get us out of a ten year funk. I was initially a Hillary supporter as I believed that she was better qualified by way of her experience in the White House and her proximity to the workings of a president. That changed toward the end of the campaign when Obama's refusal to be baited won me over.
I really got it when I saw him speak at a rally in Fort Collins, CO. 55000 people stood in line on a crisp fall day for more than 6 hours to hear him speak. And yes he gave a great speech. It was probably the same one he gave everywhere but we felt that it was meant just for us. I watched the faces of my two kids light up when they saw Obama through the crowd. When he promised a college education in return for a year or two of community service the crowd nodded their assent. When we left CSU that afternoon the mood was like that of a really good Grateful Dead show. Those of you that have toured know what I mean but for those that haven't let me explain. The Grateful Dead for all of their stereotypes and reputation had one sole purpose when they played...to find that moment when everything clicked and take the next leap. Sometimes it would click and the leap would fail. Sometimes they would leap when there was obviously no click (those nights were painful). On rare occasions the crowd, the time, the song and the players would all fuse into one and this wave of euphoria would lift everyone up. You would leave with a strong peace of mind and belief once again that anything is possible. This is how we all felt on that Sunday.
On Election Night we all watched intently hoping that somehow the Dems wouldn't find a way to screw up another election and were relieved when Obama was announced as the next president. I found myself reassured when Obama's acceptance speech wasn't a rah-rah neener-neener-neener rave up but somber and direct. He was already working because he knew that sooner would be much better than later.
My grandmother was a supporter of Obama from the very start. This was a woman who had lived through the depression, lived through the hatred of racism (the Klan was very active in her hometown) went from a Nixon supporter to a Clinton supporter and was convinced that Obama was the right man to be president because of his intelligence and compassion. She died before the inauguration a day before her 99th birthday. She taught me to look at things simply when they seem too complicated. When I tried to explain the economy and what's going on to my wife and daughter I came up with this.
Our economy/capitalism is a bike race in which everyone is encouraged to enter. The captains of industry hold this race every year in hopes that the winner would show the country a new way to ride. Everyone who entered paid an entry fee (taxes/wages) and was allowed to participate. The bike race died in the time of the depression as everyone had lost their bike or the will to ride. As the years went by, we rode to win the war (WWII), or because that's just what is expected (The Korean Conflict) or we rode to stop the war (Vietnam), or you rode for yourself and no one else (the 80's) or you rode on the coattails of someone that you just knew was going to win (the '90's). Here in the 21st century the bike race is once again broken. The cost enter is almost impossible to pay and it's been the same winners for the past few years. Mostly because the past administration set a tone where not everyone could enter or set up to fail if they did. What I see now is a restructuring of the race. First order of business is to get everyone a bike that wants one. A job! One that meets the needs of the community and matches the skill set of the entrant. This bike/job will have the option of being upgraded through education and training. Not everyone will want one but if you're going to ride (and you don't have a good reason for not doing so) you need one to do it. The second is to get everyone better bikes and establish a clear path to the finish line. This means better education, technology and infrastructure.
For years we've rode this path blind, stupid and with no idea how to finish. Will we all finish the first year of Obama's plan? No. Maybe only 3-5% will, but the next year 10% or more will finish and more after that and so on. Do I have any facts to back this up? Some, but they are dated and likely no longer apply to the current situation. What I have is a belief that in order for us to thrive as a country and as a player in the global community, we have to start working now on how to make a world better for our children tomorrow. There will still be the riders in it for themselves or those that refuse to ride or claim that they can't and still expect something for participating. These types will slowly be squeezed out but it will take awhile and they will likely not go quietly. Perhaps a different method of riding will need to be established. I feel strongly that the path that President Obama has laid out is the right one for the future. It is a long term solution to our current problem. For too long we have ignored our increasing educational demands and we have slipped into laziness when it comes to technology. Technology needs to work for us not make our lives more convenient (although I do lust for a flying car). At this stage we can't handle another "quick fix" or a cosmetic patch. If you've made it this far, I thank you for your time. If you gave up or disagree, well maybe next time.