Winds of Change
The election of 2008 appears to be the year of change. Voters are expressing their discontent for current officeholders and their failed policies. They are looking for better, righter solutions from hard-working officials to improve their quality of life. Early indications are that voters are fed up with ego-driven, self-satisfying politicians and want elected officials to work hard to improve their city and nation.
This wave is on the national level with the rise of Barack Obama’s campaign. Even though his campaign is short on details and specifics, he offers a message of change and hope for a better future. The voters so far have responded.
It is also why the Republicans’ presidential race is in such disarray. None of the current Republican candidates have offered any type of inspiring change oriented message. They are stuck in the rut of comparing themselves to George Bush or Ronald Reagan and haven’t quite understood that voters are rejecting those past policies. For the first time since 1964, the Republican Party does not have a clear frontrunner for the party to rally around and focus on securing enough independent votes to win the presidential race. Instead, they are reduced to sniping at each other’s ankles while the moderate and independent voters look to the Democratic Party for change and better policies.
In Oakland, people are clearly expressing the frustration with current elected officials and want change. They are concerned that the major issues of crime, job development and schools are not being adequately addressed by the current officeholders. This year’s City Council election has 5 council seats on the ballot. Each one of them will have at least one serious challenger.
The citizens of Oakland are expressing their frustration regarding crime. They want to feel safe in their homes. The “crime debate” has been reduced to whether the police should work 8 or 12 hour shifts. It will take a much more comprehensive solution to combat crime in this city. There are many other innovative programs that must be explored so that the problem of crime is attacked and addresses prevention, suppression, rehabilitation and re-entry programs. The burden does not fall solely on the police, but it falls on the City Council to work hard to find better solutions. Citizens of Oakland have taxed themselves numerous times for crime-related programs and are seeing precious few results.
Citizens of Oakland want more jobs in their city. They want to see job-producing businesses coming to our area. They want the quality of life improvements of being able to work, shop and entertain right in their own city. They want their elected officials to work hard to bring those job-producing businesses to our city.
The prime example of this lack of hard work is that this week in San Francisco there is an invitation only conference of all the major biotech industries in the country. Why is the city of Oakland not participating in that conference? Every single one of those businesses should have been contacted well before the conference and given a tour of Oakland and shown the benefits of bringing their businesses here. The Mayor recently announced the formation of a Green business corridor with other East Bay cities. Yet, our other elected officials are not working hard to make that a reality. These are the types of opportunities that hard-working elected officials should be reaching out to bring to Oakland. With better political leadership in Oakland, we can take advantage of these currently missed opportunities.
Oakland citizens want change in their school system because they want their children to have a better future. We all know that education is the key to the city’s and our personal development. We have to ensure that our young people have the skills to go on to higher education and to compete in the job market. Oakland citizens must have confidence that their school system will deliver a quality education for their children. We must stop the tide of kids leaving the Oakland school system. Better schools will make Oakland a better city.
There is one simple way you can participate in this political change of 2008. You must register to and vote! If you are not currently registered, take a few moments to get registered. If you are registered, make sure you vote in 2008. You will have 3 opportunities to vote. Participate in building your future and building a better Oakland by voting in all 3 of the 2008 elections. Vote and have your voice heard!
Clinton Killian is an attorney in downtown Oakland, an Oakland resident, a former Oakland Planning Commissioner and a candidate for Oakland City Council. He can be reached at: (510) 625-8823 or email: clintonkillian@yahoo.com. Website: www.clintonkillian.com
