There’s a funny thing about change–everyone seems to be afraid of it before it happens and then once it gets decided, everyone wants to know when it’s going to happen! The week after Obama’s inauguration, one jocular libertarian jokingly asked if I’d seen any change yet. I responded that the Post Office had changed the direction of the line to the tellers. The only time government changes anything quickly is when it’s faced with a crisis–sort of along the lines of “don’t fix it unless it’s broke” formula. The problem with making change is that it takes both courage and vision. Both of which seem to be lacking in vast portions of this nation as exhibited by the partisan split on the “Stimulus Package” that Congress authorized.

In Sacramento, the legislature has come to the same kind of impasse, divided upon party lines, with the Republicans holding out for corporate tax cuts AND cuts to programs. Once again the people are held hostage in the battle between the “tax and spend” Liberals and the “cut and spend less” Conservatives. If it were left up to the neo-cons, the ones who brought us all the great benefits of “free market” deregulation on Wall Street, government would consist of one large standing paramilitary army, a huge over crowded prison system and a giant funnel that poured money from the treasury directly into the pockets of the industrial military and prison complex. Sounds familiar, huh?

On the other side, I can totally sympathize with those who don’t want the hand of Big Brother on his shoulder every time he turns around. But this does leave a fair amount of middle ground in the struggle over personal liberty versus the social contract. Should the California legislators be admonished for their courage to stand up against the winds of change blowing from Washington D.C. or should they be slapped upside the head for their obstinacy in the face of crisis?

Even unto the halls of local politics, change is hardly embraced with exuberance. At the recent San Pedro Chamber of Commerce board meeting, where endorsements were proposed for both the Mayor of Los Angeles (Villaraigosa) and the 15th Council District (Janice Hahn), both of which are running virtually unopposed. The courage to openly oppose giving either another term of office was dealt with the temerity of a “secret ballot.” The only voice against this secret balloting was mine. These are the ones who routinely pledge their allegiance to this country’s creed of “freedom and liberty for all.” Exactly where’s the freedom and liberty of those who fear the retribution of their political leaders?

If those who live in such fear of political blowback can’t muster enough gumption to vote out loud, then they should just abstain or better yet resign because their votes are compromised. The tally of the ballots shows the split. For mayor: nine for and seven against, council representative: 11 for and five against. What’s there to hide?

But living in a “free” society such as we tout at home and abroad does have its own anomalies, Pete Sessions (R-TX) chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee characterized the “loyal opposition” to the Democratic Stimulus bill as an “insurgency” not unlike the Taliban! He was quick to add, “I’m not trying to say the Republican Party is the Taliban,” but he did place this metaphor squarely in his mouth none-the-less. This slip of the metaphor should give Dems nation wide a true understanding of what they are up against in trying to “bi-partisan” their way into Obama’s re-dealing of the New Deal–they would just as soon change the rules or commit mass suicide as vote for a revision of the tired old “trickle down economics” ala Ronald Reagan.

Giving tax cuts to the rich Wall Street set, deregulating the banks and insurance conglomerates and draining our national treasury to fight extended wars of empire abroad only castrate our nation’s abilities to maintain the core infrastructures that protect our republic at home. Every slash to education, every cut to transportation and social services has a price to be paid. That price comes when we have to choose between freedom and democracy at home or maintaining economic hegemony abroad.

Those without either the courage or vision to lead in a time of crisis will find that they will end up without their freedom, empire, nor economic security.  It is astounding that we have reached this pinnacle of power and have become so timid in facing the precipice of adversity. But ah let’s just turn on the TV and watch American Idol and pretend that we’re all celebrities.