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vision wanted
Nov. 8th, 2006 10:53 amI'm perusing the various news outlets and wire services, taking in the U.S. election results, and looking with some pleasure at my newly-changed national, state and local political landscapes, and while I do, iTunes randomly shuffles up John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech. I just had to stop and listen. Damn but that man could speak. And, more importantly (and often forgotten in these days of flash, spin and bling), he had real vision.
We're seeing a chance for new directions in the mid-term election results. Will the Democratic majority in the House (and hopefully in the Senate) be able to do any better than their Republican counterparts did? Will they come up with any kind of real, constructive vision for what this country could be and do? It is certain that the Republican-led government was taking us down a very, very wrong path, but will a fresh batch of politicians, whatever their party affiliation. be able to do any better? I can't be too optimistic, given the state of politics in this country, and the fact that despite swings from one party to the other, most of the people in Congress after the coming inaugurations will be the very same people who sat in those chairs in the preceeding years, and part of the same larger system. But there can be hope, that at the very least less damage will be done for the next few years, and some much-needed changes to specific areas of policy, foreign and domestic can be made. And maybe, just maybe, vision will arise which cannot be denied, and we will make changes for the better.
One mistake we make is assuming other people, out there somewhere, have all of this vision we so desperately need. We are the ones we have been waiting for. If you're tired of waiting for "someone" to see things clearly, to come up with the grand ideas and humble, practical plans, go ahead and write to your representatives, write letters to the editor in your local paper, tell everyone you can think of, spread the word. Good ideas spread, like a virus.
Government by, of and for the people requires that the people have power, and we do, despite any and all voices telling us otherwise. The power is ours, in our minds, hearts and hands. We all have countless ways and opportunities to make change. Do you have a vision, a dream? Tell the world!
We're seeing a chance for new directions in the mid-term election results. Will the Democratic majority in the House (and hopefully in the Senate) be able to do any better than their Republican counterparts did? Will they come up with any kind of real, constructive vision for what this country could be and do? It is certain that the Republican-led government was taking us down a very, very wrong path, but will a fresh batch of politicians, whatever their party affiliation. be able to do any better? I can't be too optimistic, given the state of politics in this country, and the fact that despite swings from one party to the other, most of the people in Congress after the coming inaugurations will be the very same people who sat in those chairs in the preceeding years, and part of the same larger system. But there can be hope, that at the very least less damage will be done for the next few years, and some much-needed changes to specific areas of policy, foreign and domestic can be made. And maybe, just maybe, vision will arise which cannot be denied, and we will make changes for the better.
One mistake we make is assuming other people, out there somewhere, have all of this vision we so desperately need. We are the ones we have been waiting for. If you're tired of waiting for "someone" to see things clearly, to come up with the grand ideas and humble, practical plans, go ahead and write to your representatives, write letters to the editor in your local paper, tell everyone you can think of, spread the word. Good ideas spread, like a virus.
Government by, of and for the people requires that the people have power, and we do, despite any and all voices telling us otherwise. The power is ours, in our minds, hearts and hands. We all have countless ways and opportunities to make change. Do you have a vision, a dream? Tell the world!
