The last two and a half years have marked an appreciably bad period in American history. Beginning with the 2000 Presidential election scandal - whose historical implications I don't believe we yet fully understand – and snowballing with the September 11th attacks and their subsequent infringements on American freedoms, corporate corruption in both boardrooms and the Bush Whitehouse, a sorry mid-term election performance by the Democratic Party, and culminating in the war on Iraq, it’s been a constant parade of maladies. Nevertheless, there seems – at long last – to be reason for hope.
This week’s Supreme Court decisions on Affirmative Action and sodomy both shocked and delighted me. I had written off the Court’s loyalty to the conservative agenda over justice long ago (and had my opinion reaffirmed in 2000). How surprising it was to see the same court’s explicit rulings on the compelling state interest of diversity and Constitutional protections of privacy instead open a window of opportunity for civic rights advocates. It is also encouraging that there have been no retirement announcements from Justices O’Connor and Rehnquist as the current season draws to a close. We can only hope that this means there will be no new appointments until the next Presidential election occurs.
In other good news, President Bush’s popularity finally seems to be sloughing off. In several polls the President's ratings have now fallen to 50% or lower - more proof that the next election isn't the noncontest the Republican party would like us to believe.
Also exciting to see was the massive outpouring of interest in MoveOn.org's online primary. Over 300,000 people voted in the online poll, creating more visibility for American progressives than we've enjoyed since, what, the 1960's?
Things are sure to turn sour again soon (note that I'm ignoring this week's Medicare revamp) but I'm choosing to keep my chin up for now. I really believe that we can elect a President whose beliefs are more in line with the American public in 2004 and boot the neo-cons to the curb. After all, we won the last three Presidential elections.