The turn of the calendar is a good opportunity to refocus, reenergize, renew. Certainly personally I have some goals that I would really like to accomplish: lose weight, more reading, exercise, less stress, write more, and learn more.
As a country we also have an opportunity for a fresh start. Perhaps one of the best outcomes of the shellacking that the Republicans endured last November would be a sense of humility and return to conservative core values. I maintain that corruption and a sense of betrayal led the core conservative constituency to sit the election out. Add to that a masterful job by Rep. Emmanuel to find Democrats who sounded conservative to run in those tight heartland races. We should start seeing the new congress’s true colors at about hour 120.
Unfortunately, I have much despair for the Erie community. I do not see a serious, comprehensive approach to any of the problems facing the city and the region. Our leaders are trying to keep busy on the periphery: passing smoking bans, curfews, and landlord taxes. Tonight I saw a story about training city police officers as EMT’s! I thought that what the fire department did?!? Meanwhile, there is no department by department, function by function audit of what services and employees the city must maintain, and those that have to go because of the crisis. What services should be handled by the county, or state? What can be privatized, and let out to competitive bid? One of my goals for the new year is to shine a light of these issues and try to facilitate consensus to move forward. I don’t want to be one of those guys who just points out problems without suggesting solutions.
Finally, I hope the new year brings in a resurgence of what I think is our most important calling: to love God, and to love our neighbor. I hope that this space will be one little corner where we can explore ideas, disagree if we must, but in an environment of civility and mutual respect. We must be the self-governors of this gate-keeperless new media. Kindness, gentleness and self-control are all foundational values I intend on staying focused on.
Happy New Year, 007!