One of my New Year’s resolutions, among the many I have already broken, was a vow to write more entries into this blog. It’s not easy, seeing as how I only write when I feel I have something of modest significance to say, which isn’t often. It’s nearly the middle of January and I have yet to think of any world shattering prose. To be honest I rarely, if ever, do think of anything likely to change anyone’s heart or mind. However, that should not stop me from trying.

I have several concerns as 2009 begins to settle in and we are merely days from inaugurating a new American President. The first is creeping complacency. Progressives have fought hard working their fingers to the nub to get someone elected who sees America not as a conquering empire but a helpful older brother to the world. My worry is that now that Barack Obama is to be our president there will be a letdown, a relaxing of diligence, similar to a football team playing a lesser opponent who lets down its guard, mails in the effort and gets beaten like eggs for an omelet. We cannot afford to simply breathe a great sigh of relief and go back to our daily lives content that because we have our man at the top everything will magically be wonderful again.

There are still issues which have uphill struggles if they are to come to pass. Single payer universal health care, instant runoff voting and the establishment of strong local sustainable economies all have many detractors and need our best efforts to make them realities. They will not just happen by themselves as we drive our Priuses to the co-op. A redoubling of our efforts is needed if these progressive policies that will help people’s lives are to come to pass. Get cracking people.

Another thing that worries me (yes, even though I am an optimist I have plenty of worries) is the fact that deep partisanship is so firmly entrenched in our legislatures, both state and federal. Even though the times call for strong bi-partisan leadership to carry us through the hard times we face and which lie ahead of us I fear that small minded people in government will continue to fight the creation of policies that must be instituted if we are to avoid great pain for many Americans.

I can easily imagine obstructionist legislators fighting tooth and nail to prevent the level of government investment in our infrastructure needed to both infuse the economy (read people) with money to circulate and pull us out of the stagnation we are sliding into and refurbish the physical foundation upon which that economy depends for its lifeblood. I hope this is not the case, but it seems that too many of our leaders still model the corporate world when it comes to visionary thinking and only look to quick fixes and easy solutions which have no political ramifications for their puny careers.

Join me in continuing to fight the good fight, in resisting complacency, and in keeping our leaders feet to the fire as we navigate the very rough waters into which we sail. Society as we know it hangs in the balance. Don’t let our progeny down.