It's Eeyore's birthday, so why am I more optimistic?
My leather hat has hosted our sad donkey friend since the early '70s. My sister was at the first "Eeyore's Birthday" celebration in Austin in the mid-'60s. It was held near the UT Law School in Eastwoods Park. There was a May Pole and a live donkey, and a small group of springtime merrymakers, quite a different scene from the thousands who currently flood Pease Park for a day of debauchery, many having no idea of the genesis of Eeyore and Winnie the Pooh.
My sister and I grew up enjoying A.A. Milne's "Winnie The Pooh" series, so it was fun to join the Austin celebrants of Eeyore's May 1st birthday. An opportunity for fun-loving sorts to gather in hopes of cheering the perpetually sad denizen of the "100 Acre Wood." A communal goal of overwhelming the morose and skeptical donkey with positive energy and expressions of good. Eeyore's friends and admirers were not going to indulge the donkey's habit of feeling sorry for himself. The metaphor's too obvious for me to pass up. We've got lots of defeatists in this Country--many in government. But, things are sooo bad with government at many levels that I'm actually encouraged. Read on, Mosey Pals.
Things are really bad! Thank goodness Hillary wasn't elected.
Sound confusing? I'm an Independent, but I voted for Hillary. Many other well-qualified candidates were eliminated, and it was obvious that Trump was incapable of leading in any capacity. By the way, whatever happened to him? Oh yes, now I remember. He's our "president."
Had Hillary been elected, we'd have a continuation of the bipartisan stalemate we had with Obama. Republican obstructionists, who by now have demonstrated their incapacity to govern at any level, would have thwarted Hillary in the same way they did Obama. But Hillary lost and the contrast is so stark that it's not even a close call. The Trump Administration and Cabinet are so inept and incompetent that we're seeing a backlash of resistance, civic engagement and political structural change that we haven't experienced in years. And, our saving grace is that, to paraphrase a famous movie quote, lots of folks and organizations are "mad as hell, and not going to take this anymore."
So why are we so upset?
--A President who is unworthy to lead --An incompetent Administrative Cabinet/Staff
--A bipartisan Congress incapable of government in the public interest
--A tax cut sham that benefits some (including me) in the short term, hurts us all in the long run
--Gerrymandering that unfairly manipulates voting constituencies
--Underpaid teachers who have to be rideshare drivers to make a living, while also having to purchase class supplies from their own funds
--Betsy DeVos & Scott Pruitt...Nuff Said?
--Inattention to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, jobs training for a changing economy, infrastructure, social justice, environmental integrity, etc.
--Rolling back those "job-killing regulations" that protect our air, water, land, drugs, food supplies, foster kids and seniors in nursing homes...etc., etc...
--Instead, the Administration and Republican majority are focusing on building immigration barriers, marginalizing minorities, alienating our allies, retreating from trade and environmental accords, and shunning diplomacy in favor of expressions of military might.
--A full-tilt presidential assault on journalists and a free press
--Etc., Etc...
So why am I encouraged?
--Constructive civic engagement is coming back with a determined vengeance
--The Women's Marches, #MeToo movement, Florida student initiatives, teacher strikes and walkouts for better pay and working conditions, key elections reflecting dissatisfaction with unresponsive incumbents
--An energized surge in responsible journalism, with a renewed appreciation of their role in governmental accountability
--Thoughtful new elected bipartisan representatives will reverse the dismantling of public education, and make sure we have effective, appropriate regulatory safeguards
--Many Republican "leaders" like Paul Ryan, who've realized they overplayed their hands, are seeing the handwriting on many walls and are "retiring" early or not seeking reelection to save well-earned embarrassment
--While many of these incumbents have overstayed their welcome and worth, a huge pipeline of motivated and qualified women candidates will emerge during the upcoming election cycles
--Moderate Republicans are realizing they bet the farm on Trump, and are summoning up the courage to denounce this sham Administration and reclaim some honor in their public service
--Democrats and Independent operatives are considering better ways to achieve representative governance
--Thoughtful minds are considering reforms for gerrymandering and campaign finance laws
--Robert Mueller and the best investigative/prosecutorial team ever assembled will change history in the next few months. Their reports will either be made public according to orderly process or, if Mueller's process is disturbed, their findings will be brought to light in many forms. Don't doubt for a minute that this won't be consequential.
A MOSEY CLOSE
I'm convinced that we're turning the corner to a time of more responsive government "of the people." We let our communal guard down in recent years and are paying the price, but are poised for redemption if we choose to act. We'll speed the process if we Slow Down, Pay Attention, Become Better Informed and Act Accordingly. There are many good folks and lots of model programs working to do the right thing. Many of you readers are my role models for effective community service.
Today is Eeyore's Birthday, and he'll choose to be sad. But I'm over being sad and despondent about the state of this Great Nation. I'm seeing too many signs that a growing majority of our fellow citizens are tired of the incivility, tribalism and paralysis of government. We know we're better than this. It's time to rise to our occasion. We're eminently capable. That's why I'm excited and optimistic! LET'S MOSEY!
