Friends,
Happy 2021!! Surely we will end this new year differently from how we begin it – digging out from the miserable 2020.
Surely in 2021 we’ll emerge from the pandemic and recover from the nightmarish federal government, infected with greed and hubris. Surely the new vaccines and the recent elections will do the job.
We all should be confident in the vaccines. We don’t know exactly when, but we can be optimistic that we will reach the post-COVID-19 world. (And in the meantime, keep masking, distancing, and washing your hands; don’t share air with people outside your household; and get the vaccine when it’s your turn!)
We should be more worried about the democracy part. The fact that so many Americans felt another term with the 45th president was a good choice . . . the fact that so many still call the election rigged or a fraud . . . the fact that so many leading Republicans are seriously seeking to overturn democratic elections and ignore the will of the people . . . All this and more are cause for great and ongoing concern.
Is there a vaccine against anti-democracy?
I’ll propose two doses.
First, let’s embrace the question – how do we assure the will of the people is indeed expressed in our elections? Let’s lean in to assure this great democracy is really in fact working: eliminate lines and long waits to vote. Ease voter registration. Make voting a national holiday. Have vote centers. Draw legitimate districts and end gerrymandering. Mandate more transparency in money in politics. In other words, let’s embrace anyone who challenges how our elections are working, but let’s ask the right questions and improve things. This Washington Post editorial lays out one reasonable approach.
Second, let’s make sure our democracy is working locally. I recently signed the City Council’s ordinance creating a nonpartisan, resident-led redistricting process for their new districts. I hope the County will do something similar for new precinct drawing. We just concluded county elections that unanimously affirmed our Democratic Party’s continued leadership. And let’s recover forward out of the pandemic, in the ways that our residents want us to.
As I hear from people, I know different views abound about lots of specific local issues – What’s next for the convention center? Or annexation? How do we revise our zoning codes and support more housing for all? How do we best assist those experiencing homelessness? Substance use disorder? Poverty? How do we assure both public safety and a deep sense of belonging for all? How do we help our economy recover? Our public schools? What level of taxes is fair and matches our ambitions? These are all good questions with good discussions to be had – please take part!
One of the biggest challenges in local politics is assuring that all the voices are heard. Yes, all the people who get involved and active directly: but also the people who are too busy or too disillusioned or too afraid to speak up. And people who aren’t even here but whose voices we still need to try to hear – future generations and future residents.
Back in January of 2020, which feels like five years ago, I shared what I thought were the two big challenges I hear running deeply through our wider community: How do we wrestle seriously with climate change to create a truly sustainable community, and how do we address the persistent economic, racial, and social inequalities that keep us from being a truly inclusive and fair community?
During all the upheavals and stress of 2020, I believe those two big challenges have persisted, unabated. They remain our big agenda, our front burner. And they outline for us how this community we love and cherish can be one of the beacons of progressive commitment and action across the country.
I’m hopeful that we can do this. I’m inspired by the million ways this community came together over the past 10 months to do things we didn’t know we could do. I’m energized knowing how much good we can do together.
In spite of the craziness of 2020, the horror of the ongoing pandemic, and the ghastliness of people trashing our democracy and elections . . . in spite of all that, I’m excited because the system works, and we can chart our future. Hear the words of our neighbor sage, Wendell Berry, who said, “Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts.” Yes, indeed. Live in the facts, own them. And still, together in this wonderful and wonderfully blessed community, still embrace joy and hope. And action.
Democratically yours,
John
P.S. Do all you can to help in this week’s Georgia elections – check out FairFight.
And mark your calendars for our upcoming State of the City address the evening of Thursday, February 25th – not sure how we’ll do it yet, but we’ll figure something out!