New beginnings always have me thinking of old beginnings. I came to Washington as a 28 year old aide to a freshman US Senator in 1973. Swearing in was on January 5 that year. The freshman class had 13 members, including Joe Biden, who turned 30 in December and thus was eligible to be sworn in on January 5.
That first year, 1973, we were so busy; I don't recall seeing the sun shine at all!
On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court issued its landmark decision, Roe v. Wade, the heat from which has not diminished since. January was also the month that Henry Kissinger signed the Paris Peace Agreement, effectively ending America's military involvement in Vietnam (although President Nixon continued to bomb Cambodia until September). January 1973 also brought the end of the draft and the beginning of the AVF, the All Volunteer Force. And if memory serves me correctly, that was also the month the Senate took up the War Powers Act, a new law aimed at limiting a future President's ability to commit American forces overseas for more than 90 days without the specific consent of the US Congress. (Yeah, well, that's what it was supposed to do.)
And that was just the first month.
Later in the year, the Vice President of the United States resigned his office rather than face federal charges for tax evasion. His name was Spiro Agnew. I remember telling the news to my boss on the steps of the US Capitol, and as I showed him the AP wire report, I remarked, "If we stay here another 30 years, we're not likely to witness again anything so dramatic in our national life." That was the voice and thinking of a young and innocent Senate aide who would never cease to have his eyes opened wider still with each new scandal. Scandals, as we all know, are as much a part of our government as its three branches. As long as we staff government with real people, there will be real scandal. To err is human, of course, but to steal while alleging to serve the public interest is...well, very special.
Oh yes, and in the same year, we experienced the first Arab oil embargo. Politicians filled the airwaves with speeches decrying America's sorry dependence on foreign oil. One after another, Representatives and Senators rose to declare "America must end its dependence on foreign sources of oil. America must become energy independent. We need a national energy policy."
Yep, nothing ever changes.
Until now.
Dare this innocent, now some 36 years older, dream that things can and will change? I don't know. Really, I don't know the answer...but I do know this one thing: 2009 presents the nation with the best chance for successfully addressing some of the most intractable of problems...and all of us must participate in finding and/or supporting the solutions.
A new class of Senators gets sworn in tomorrow, January 6, 2009. They and their aides will be just as busy as we were. The issues are more complex now -- or so they seem -- but the hours will be just as long for at least the first year. The only message I have for them is this: be assured the sun does shine while you toil and the day will come when you can rest...and be thanked for the service you have rendered.
4 comments:
"America must end its dependence on foreign sources of oil. America must become energy independent. We need a national energy policy."
Do not forget that the Department of Energy was created in the aftermath of that '73 embargo by Carter to do just that, but no party that has been in control then or since has affected any real change. 44 has spoken strongly about moving us into a new age of energy dependence, but then so has T. Boone, not sure what that means. Anyway if we want to cut what appears to be a very costly piece of dead, ineffective, weight then 44 should rid us that DoE paperweight or at least get some real function out of it, what a joke and colassal waste of taxpayer dollars over the years. If 44 does not do something to drastically to improve the efficiency of departments like DoE he will have a really hard time running the business, the United States in a successful way, we are paying way too much and getting way too little. Wait I think that is a country song or it should be.
I worked on the Hill when DOE was put together under Carter. While not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, there are some dedicated professionals there who are bucking the tide of cynicism and trying to do some good things for the country. Policy makers know the problem but the people -- The People -- do not insist on a sound energy policy; instead, they insist on a soundly built SUV, thank you very much.
Well then if "The People" are not demanding it we shouldn't have it if this government is "the people's" as 44 has proclaimed or are we to believe that this far off group of wealthy men know whats best for us all no matter what we demand?
Well, that was indeed the Republican message to their "subjects" these past eight years. The R's knew better and we shouldn't bother to complain.
The people had enough, finally, and made the necessary change. Now we will see if the new leadership can fulfill its promises...and we'll see if the people remain steadfast in their support.
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