In this editorial published today, The Bee's editorial board lays out some of the many challenges and opportunities facing the San Joaquin Valley and the state in this new year.
Here is the opening to today's editorial:
There are many reasons to face the new year with trepidation. The economy is struggling -- some think it's already in recession. Air quality continues to be a problem. Water issues -- both quality and quantity -- loom overhead. State government is increasingly unmanageable, with consequences for local governments and their citizens.But such challenges often offer opportunities. It's a time for new visions, new solutions and a renewal of the determined spirit that once animated the Golden State.
That editorial is a companion piece to this one published on New Year's Eve. The editorial that ran Monday pointed out the many people in our Valley who inspired us in 2007. It was a year when dozens of people lifted us up with their brave and inspiring actions.
Granted, there are a lot of challenges; Granted, that Mr & Mrs Joe Average probably know what to do; But aren’t we forgetting that the intellectually challenged, drive-by politicians at the top are dim-witted do-nothings?
I’ve said it before and will say it again: "Politicians have no testicular fortitude, can’t keep a promise and always choose the moral low-ground."