Working for the future
A new buzzword in educational circles, as Nicolas Kristof tells us in the New York Times, is social entrepreneurship. This movement involves a number of young people who do hands-on work to help others in the world. Projects include innovations such as starting a non-profit group to help AIDS orphans in Africa to attend school and projecting free movies in small Mexican towns for people too poor to pay the price at a theater. The spirit that made the Peace Corps such a force for good in the world forty years ago has not died, but these new projects are self-directed by young people themselves. At this time when we are going through a contentious presidential campaign, it's good to know that some young citizens do more than vote for someone else to lead them--they step up and take on the tasks themselves. It's inspiring to read about them.
They're turning out to vote
The South Carolina Democratic primary voters are going to the polls in large numbers, probably setting new records. Primary voting this season has been higher than it has been for years. Pundits argue about the reasons, but the fact that there is no incombent is one factor. Another one, surely is the strong feelings the past four years, and especially the war in Iraq have raised. It is encouraging for those of us who work to get people out to vote in every election to see that when they think the decision is important enough, voters do turn out. It doesn't hurt that many people believe the array of candidates is impressive and that several of them would make an excellent president. We can all be proud to vote in a primary that features candidates who are knowledgeable and capable and also reflect our diverse electorate by including a woman and an African American as choices. 2008 is already a trendsetting year, no matter what happens in November.
Something to keep an eye on
In a surprising announcement today, Phil Bronstein, editor of the San Francisco Chronicle said he was leaving his post. He will be taking another job in the Hearst company. Just a few days ago, the L.A. Times lost its editor. These changes in some of the most important newspapers in California will affect everyone who takes an interest in public affairs. Even though many people seek news through electronic sources such as the Internet, radio, and television, these sources often depend on print media. Reporters from newspapers are often the ones who seek out the sources, interview newsmakers, and get the facts that are later reported in blogs and on websites. Changes in editorial personnel may not weaken newspapers, but it is important that civic-minded people keep an eye on what is happening and support newspapers, one of the most important source of information in a democracy.
City of the future
Yesterday at the Ferry Building, some of the most innovative architects in San Francisco showed off their versions of what the city might look like a hundred years from now. The models will remain on view for the public, but for people who can't get down to the waterfront to see them, the Chronicle describes some of the common ideas. Cars are no longer seen on city streets, towers will sprout high into the sky, fog will disappear or be harvested. The predictions sound visionary, and few who are in San Francisco today will live to see whether they come true, but it is good to know that some people are planning for a future. In a year when so many things are going wrong in the economy, it is heartening to think that people will work their way through problems and the city may come out stronger and better for our grandchildren and their children.
Keeping the city safe
The local news has been grim these past few weeks with the tiger mauling at the zoo and now a growing number of accidents involving Muni. The shocking death of a man on Wednesday night alerted many people to the potential hazards of the Muni system. A user-friendly transit system is important in a city like San Francisco where pedestrians, cars, bicycles and buses struggle with the difficulty of moving around crowded streets. The Muni is a vital service to keep cars from forming into permanent gridlock and filling the air with pollutants, but the Muni requires careful planning and solid support. The League is studying transportation plans for the entire Bay Area, looking at ways in which cars and public transit can function to bring mobility to everyone in the region. On Friday, Feb. 22, the Bay Area League will have a special study day on Transportation, where a number of experts will present ideas about what ought to be done. It's worth looking into if you want to keep San Francisco a viable urban area.
What's a voter to do?
At every election California voters have to struggle to understand the ballot measures they are asked to vote on. The coming February presidential primary state election does not offer many propositions, but the ones that are up seem to be confusing to many people. Prop 92 the Community Colleges: Funding Governance, Fees proposal is designed to improve funding for Community Colleges, but whether or not it succeeds, is a difficult question to answer. Then there is Prop 93, Limits on Legislators' Terms in Office--another confusing change. Will this change improve government, or bring us more of the same? Even the most thoughtful voter will have difficulty predicting the outcome. That is why the wealth of election information provided by the League's website is so important for this election. For discussions and information about both local and state issues, go to www.lwvsf.org
Thinking about policy
The League spends a lot of time educating its members about national and local issues. This year the National League has conducted a study on Immigration policy in the U.S. and what principles should guide it. The local San Francisco League has been meeting this week to discuss different facets of immigration and how they should be approached. Should we build a fence along our border? Is family reunification more important than meeting the needs of employers? Should health and age be factors in deciding who is accepted for immigration? All these questions are important and citizens who spend time thinking about them can influence their legislators to produce the kind of legislation we want. The decisions reached today in S.F. will be sent to the National League, which will then try to put together the overall positions of the League. This grassroots project to solicit thoughtful input from all over the country should lead to important and influential policy decisions.
What can we believe?
The last few days have been a feast for election-watchers as unexpected results came in from Iowa and then New Hampshire. Polls and pundits told us who would be the winner and who the losers in both races, but they didn't get it right. In New Hampshire there were 9 polls that predicted a bad day for Hillary Clinton, but when voters made their choices, she turned out to be a winner. What went wrong with the polls? That's a question posed by the Chronicle this morning in a thoughtful article pointing out how pollsters can go wrong. This is important reading for all of us, and it reminds League members of the value of giving voters information, as we do in forums, discussions, and publications rather than telling people what will happen. Our mandate as an organization is to be a source of reliable, objective information, somthing voters can count on as they make up their own minds about with candidates and issues to vote for. Three cheers for us!
Important Reading
Electronic voting machines--their advantages and drawbacks--have been an important topic for the League as well as other concerned citizens for several years. Now the New York Times has published a long, thoughtful article describing the many ways in which these machines have failed to meet the goals of a transparent, secure election. Perhaps the country rushed too quickly into buying electronic machines without thinking through the many demands of public elections. How can the privacy of the voter be protected while also allowing election officials to check the accuracy of the vote count? How can the business practices of private companies be reconciled with the demands of public accountability? Do we need a dual system of electronic and paper ballots? There are still far more questions than answers, but this article gives a good starting point for talking about them.
Happy New Year?
The wind and rain assaulting our windows today make it hard to believe this will be a peaceful, pleasant year. We need the rain, but does it have to cause so many problems coming down? Perhaps that will be the theme for 2008--we need to make a lot of changes and improvements in our civic lives, but it's unlikely that these will be easy or peaceful. Yesterday's Iowa caucus started the political trends of the year--a very large turnout with enthusiastic voters facing cold and snow to make their choices. If Iowans can brave the weather to make their voices heard, surely Californians can provide an even bigger turnout and have some impact on the primaries. As Joe Garafoli points out in the Chronicle, the primary election in California starts immediately. Mail ballots will be sent out next week, and votes will be cast before the week is out. What we Californians think about primary candidates will have an impact for the first times in many years. Don't be left out--start the new year right by making your voice heard loud and clear!
