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                     JANUARY 2008                      

A Year of Change

Whether you are in the camp of one of the major political parties, or you remain independent, this year we will see a change in leadership in the Office of the President.  Favorite sons (and Daughter!) have begun to emerge, with the potential for an unprecedented minority or female to be the first occupant of the White House.  Change can be a powerful and liberating force, and yet in its application we hope for a smooth transition regardless of the outcome.

On the Republican side, the road to the White House is an open freeway for the first time in recent memory.  Republicans seem to enjoy the coronation of their candidate when it is accomplished early, and with little tumult.  This year is indeed a departure, with there being no clear frontrunner at this point.  Although Senator John McCain, Governor Mitt Romney, and Governor Mike Huckabee, have emerged from the pack, polls indicate that much of the GOP electorate is very much undecided.  This makes the primaries of New York and California more important than ever, and it may give a considerable say to those of us living in this state.

Speaking of polls, one cannot mention them without acknowledging their limitations, especially in regards to the Democratic contenders.  It appears that Senators Clinton, Edwards, and Obama have all but made it a three-way race to win their party’s nomination.  Early projections indicated Clinton would win handily in Iowa , only to see Obama win a stunning victory over his main rival.  Those same pollsters gave him a near double-digit advantage in New Hampshire , only to see that state select Clinton instead.  The unpredictable nature of this contest on both sides has invigorated the process, and we can only hope this enthusiasm lasts throughout the primary season.

As Californians go to the polls in an early primary election February fifth, we hope that you would take your suffrage seriously, arm yourselves with as much information as possible, and ask yourselves the hard questions about whether your candidate believes in championing the cause of universal public education.  Because it is that cause that all of us, irrespective of party affiliation, have dedicated ourselves, let us find and support a candidate that is committed to its protection.