Another win for women!
As we move into Women's History Month, it is nice to report that the new speaker of the California State Assembly is Karen Bass, an African American assemblywoman from Los Angeles. She moved from being executive director of the nonprofit Community Coalition working to improve life for residents of South Los Angeles into the political center of California government. She brings an important voice representing community welfare and other so-called "women's issues" at the statehouse. It is good for the state, and good for women in general, to have strong, diverse women's voices making decisions at the center of power. It's not that we begrudge men their place in government, and we appreciate the work done by outgoing speaker, Fabio Nunez, but a wider representation helps everyone. The brave women who started the League of Women Voters 88 years ago can rest easy--their work is bearing fruit.
Why we keep our eyes open
Every morning there is a new surprise in the news. This morning's column by Matier and Ross in the S.F. Chronicle tells us of the new ramp bing built at City Hall. This ramp is to allow wheelchair access to the raised chair of the president of the Board of Supervisors. Making the chair accessible is a great idea, but how does the city justify spending $100,000 a foot for the ramp? Read this column and you will see the maze of competing interests that had a hand in raising the costs. It is a a lesson in how not to run city government and a good demonstration of why civic organizations like the League have to keep an eye on city government to encourage officials to act responsibly.The price of good government is indeed eternal vigilance.
Where have the words gone?
Many people who subscribe to the S.F. Chronicle were disappointed today to find the Insight section sharply reduced in size and the Book section, tucked inside of it, small enough to overlook. We have all heard of how newspapers are struggling to exist, but surely publishing pounds of pages of colorful ads that go straight to the recycling bin isn't going to win new readers. (Even in the newly deigned SFGate webapage, the Insight and Book sections are difficult to find) Sunday morning without a few columnists to argue with and new book titles to resolve to read is scarcely worth the time. We might as well turn on the Sunday morning TV news shows and listen to the rants. People read newspapers, either in print or online, to get new ideas that can be considered quietly. The Chronicle turns out plenty of those--please don't take them away. For starters, read the front page article in the Insight section "Taming the Bipartisan Brain" by Thomas Gangale, which ends with the excellent advice "Read a book that you don't think you'll like." Try it!
Good news from schools
Today's Chronicle brought good news about high schools in California. Despite all the dire warnings about how many students are dropping out of high school, a new study finds that the numbers are small and concentrated in a few schools. This doesn't mean that high school dropouts are not a problem that teachers and other citizens should worry about, but it does indicate that focusing attention on the few, high risk students is more important than sponsoring wide ranging programs to reach the average teenager. Most of the students in San Francisco's public schools are getting a good education and completing at least a high school program. We need to ensure that most of them can go on to further post-secondary education, but at least we can celebrate the successes of the K to 12 schools in our city.
Changes all over
The big news this morning for many Americans is that Fidel Castro is stepping down as president of Cuba. After almost fiftyyears of rule, his name has become so closely linked to his country that people all over the Western Hemisphere are wondering what will happen next. Predictions are impossible, but one thing we can be sure of is that there will be big changes. And in Nov. 2008 a new president will be elected in the U.S. who will bring changes no matter which party takes the office. After almost fifty years of suspicion and bad feeling between these two countries that are only 90 miles apart geographically, there is hope that a closer relationship can be built. A relationship built on the feelings of people in both Cuba and the U.S. who recognize that we have much in common. Let's hope the wishes of people will determine the future rather than the competition of governments.
Women leading the way
Most Americans are concerned about the environment, and parents of young children are particularly worried about the degradation of the environment their children will face. A new movement, especially strong in California, is the establishment of groups of EcoMoms who form groups to discuss keeping their homes, schools and neighborhoods green. They are advocates for waste-free school lunches, eating local food, boycotting environmentally dangerous cleaning products and other activities to build a healthier world. Like their mothers and grandmothers before them, these women are banding together to offer practical support for making positive changes. Some advocates may go a bit further than most of us would like to move--reusing their children's bathwater for example--but for the most part their suggestions are sensible and will make the world a better place for all of us. Three cheers for the ongoing accomplishments of women power!
Voting without representation
Yesterday's Potomac primaries called attention to an ongoing injustice in our election system. Residents of Washington D.C. can vote in the primary. They can send delegates to the conventions, but when November comes they will be without a voice. The time has long past when Washington was considered unimportant because it is not a state. Too many people live there now to allow them to be voiceless in our elections. Many of the residents of Washington work for the government, they are closely involved in the political process and want to make their views heard. The League has long supported their right to vote, but the battle is a long one and has not yet been won. No matter which of the presidential candidates eventually wins, any new administration should move to correct this injustice soon.
Losing a great man
Many of us here in the Bay Area were saddened this morning to hear the news that Congressman Tom Lantos has died. It seems only a few days ago that he announced he was not going to run for Congress again this year, actually it was in early January. He has represented part of San Francisco and the San Mateo area for many years, and not only has he been a hard-working and effective representative for his district, he has also been a national leader especially in foreign relations. Rep. Lantos, as most people know, was born in Hungary and came to this country as an immigrant after World War II. He is a shining example of what the United States gains by welcoming people from all over the world. With his international perspective and his realistic idealism, he gave far more to this country than anyone could have hoped when he first arrived as a Holocaust survivor. This is something to remember now that we are talking so much about more recent immigrants and what we gain, or lose, by welcoming them. We owe more than we can ever repay to immigrants like Tom Lantos who have enriched the country over the years. He will be missed.
What happened to the birds?
Every day brings something new to worry about. Today the Chronicle tells us that increasing numbers of dead birds are being washed up on the shores of Richardson Bay, which is part of San Francisco Bay. No one knows why the sudden upsurge in the number of dead birds, several species are represented and none of them look injured. We can't help worrying about whether there is some link between the sewer leak into the bay last week and this increase in bird corpses. There may be no tie-in, perhaps there is a shortage of food or some other unknown source. The birds are being preserved and their bodies will be analyzed by toxicologists in an attempt to discover the cause of death. Perhaps we should have a TV show concentrating on scientists who investigate the reasons for wildlife deaths. Often these are more important to us than the fictional crimes we watch night after night on the tube--probably more interesting to watch too.
Voting at an early age
The large turnout of voters in the primaries yesterday is a good sign for the future of democracy in this country. Anyone watching the TV images of young voters flocking to rallies and vowing to vote for the candidate of their choice could not help but be impressed by their interest and attitudes. Now a proposal has been floated that teenager should be allowed to vote before they reach 18. An op-ed piece in the New York Times suggests that 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote after they have completed a civics course that teaches the basics of the political process. Those of us who watched our children go through the teenage years have been impressed by the interests and ideas they express about what the country should be doing. Perhaps it is time to give them a chance to put those ideas to work. At least it is worth thinking about.
Are you taking the car?
The latest issue of Urbanist, the monthly publication of SPUR (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association) includes a long, thoughtful article "Muni on the Rise." If you haven't seen the print publication, try to get a copy or read it when it is mounted on the website www.spur.org. Most San Franciscans are aware that Muni is necessary in the city, even though many of us still cling to our cars. The expense, not only to us but to the public, is described in an earlier SPUR article on the costs of driving in the city. We don't always want to read about what we and our neighbors are paying for our infatuation with cars, but it is important to acknowledge that an urban area cannot have healthy growth without a sensible, well funded public transit program. The Bay Area League has been study this problem for years, and the Calendar on this website lists the Transportation Day meeting that will be held on Feb. 22 to consider the issue of regional transportation planning. It's good to see two important civic organizations--the League and SPUR--working on the same issues. Let's hope the public buys into the importance of insuring safe, speedy transportation.
Is it still raining?
People who live in San Francisco find it easy to complain about the weather. While the rest of the country suffers heavy snows and deadly wind chills, we fuss about a few days of chilly rain. Granted, jumping over puddles and trying to maneuver an umbrella on Market Street during rush hour is a drag, but things could be a lot worse. And if the scientists reported on in the Chronicle are right, as they no doubt are, we have a lot more than that to worry about. Global warming is bringing changes that will make our weather more unstable and create new problem. As the Sierra snowpack thins, it will melt earlier each spring, increasing the danger of floods. A rise in the sea level could easily threaten coastal areas. Now is the time for concerned citizens to learn more about what can be done to help Californians to survive these changes. Add that to your list of concerns as you splash your way across Union Square.
