Sunday, December 28, 2008

Closing thoughts on 2008...

Without a doubt the highlight of 2008 was the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. His message of hope, change and promise of a return to the ideal of an open and transparent government resonated with an American public that hadn't felt as dissilluioned with it's public officials since the dark days of Watergate. Despite a worsening economy, one that is likely to get worse before it gets better, Americans feel optimistic about the future and the possibilities that lie ahead with a new President in the White House. Expanded majorities in the House and Senate will make President elect Obama's job of implementing his legislative agenda a little easier once the 111th Congress kicks into gear.

Here in California, the passage of Proposition 8 ("Prop 8") in last November's election changed the state constitution and eliminated the right for same sex couples to marry. It was only in May of 2008 that the California Supreme Court had ruled to recognize the right to marry by same sex couples. Despite mass protests across the state and the country in reaction to the results of the November election, the new ruling went into immediate effect on the state's books. There is a current open legal issue that relates to the approximately 18,000 same sex marriages that were conducted between May and November and whether the passing of Prop 8 will have retroactive application to those cases. With Connecticut becoming the second state (after Massachusetts) to recognize same sex marriage in November, there is no doubt that the citizens of Calfornia will be asked to vote again on this issue in the near future.

The political miscalculation of the year had to be John McCain's decision to ask Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska to be his Vice Preisdential running mate. McCain displayed an appalling lack of political and personal judgment in picking a woefully inexperienced and out of touch governor who became the laughing stock of every late night TV comedian. While it is true that Palin helped to energize the Republican base with her down home, "you betcha" style of campaigning, in truth these were folks who were never going to vote for Obama anyway, and, rather than inspire women who may have been dissaffected after a bruising primary fight between Clinton and Obama; Palin did the exact opposite, driving women to vote for Obama in record numbers.

Speaking of aspiring women politicians, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK and one of Barack Obama's three person Vice Presidential advisory team, has thrown her hat into the ring in the race to be picked as Hillary Clinton's replacement as the junior senator from New York. Clinton, who is awaiting confirmation as Obama's Secretary of State, will leave vacant her New York Senate seat, the one formally held by Kennedy's uncle, Robert F Kennedy between 1965 and 1968. The appointment of Clinton's replacement lies solely with New York Governor David Patterson and he has said that he will make no decision on the matter until Clinton is formally confirmed as the country's top diplomat. Should Caroline be chosen, it would mean that two Kennedy's would again hold Senate seats at the same time. Ted Kennedy, who served alongside his brother Robert in the 1960's, is entering his 47th consecutive year as US Senator. Patterson is likely to make a decision in the next three weeks so stay tuned.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

44 - www.change.gov

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be – Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States 1743-1826

The American economy is in the grips of its worst recession since the great depression of the 1930’s. In November, 533,000 American’s lost their jobs, the worst monthly drop since December 1974. Home foreclosures are at an all time high and the average American has seen their retirement fund slashed, due in no small part to a 37% drop in the value of the stock market in the last 12 months. There is palpable concern for the future of over 3 million jobs that are either directly or indirectly supported by the automobile industry. After 3 decades of gross inefficiency, bad management and abject failure to stay competitive with their Japanese and German counterparts, America’s top three automakers; General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler, have finally been taken to task by politicians. Claiming that their companies will go bankrupt unless they receive an economic bailout from the federal government, the CEO’s of the Big 3 arrived on Capitol Hill looking for a combined early Christmas present totaling $38B. Yes, that’s billion with a B.

In days of old, the Congress might well have huffed and puffed and then written the check, but times are changing in Washington. Reflecting the views of the new President-elect and flexing its legislative muscles in advance of an expanded majority in the House and Senate come January, the Democrat controlled Congress this week offered the Big 3 a bridge loan of $15B, all of it tied to extensive reform and restructuring of their companies. Despite all this malaise however, Americans are excited and energized at the prospect of welcoming in a presidency that is open, accountable and focused on doing the people’s work.

The night of November 4th was a memorable one in our house. Even though Barack Obama had held a consistently steady lead of anything from 5 to 10 percentage points in the polls over John McCain in the weeks leading up the election, I was still nervous that something out of the ordinary would happen to dash our hopes. I need not have worried. In midst of a few celebratory drinks, it became very clear as the polls closed across the country that the Obama-Biden ticket had won a crushing mandate. Although the final percentages looked somewhat close at 52.9%-45.7%, the Obama-Biden ticket won the popular vote by almost 10 million (69,394,675 to 59,892,681), and more than twice the number of electoral-college votes won by McCain-Palin (365-173). At 62.9%, turnout was at its highest since 1964. Not only did Obama win every state that John Kerry won in 2004 but added Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Indiana.

In recent weeks, Barack Obama has said on a number of occasions that there is only one president at a time in America. While factually correct, it is clear that W has already checked out and the president-elect has taken center stage, putting in place his much advertised “team of rivals” cabinet. As I write we are still 44 days away from the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, however it already feels like we have a new commander in chief in town.

Oh, happy days!

Office of the president-elect transition website: www.change.gov