Happy New Year

Today is 1.1.11

This is going to be a very traumatic year in the political and public policy arena.

We are going to see so much proposed change that it may bring about a lot of discord and maybe civil service.

Below is an interesting observation by a DC based political consultant and observer (from today's Washington Post)

Topic A: What will be 2011's biggest political surprise?

Sunday, January 2, 2011

The Post asked political experts to predict the biggest political surprise of 2011. Below are responses from Ed Rogers, Jennifer Palmieri, Douglas E. Schoen, Robert Shrum, Dan Schnur, Dana Perino and Catherine A. "Kiki" McLean.

ED ROGERS

Chairman of BGR Group; White House staffer to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush

The biggest political surprise in 2011 may come in the form of the shock produced by public-sector labor strikes and demonstrations that could stray into civil disorder as state and local governments cut budgets. Government workers could be laid off by the thousands, and millions of the beneficiaries of government-supplied salaries, pensions and benefits could see reductions in pay and program allowances they have been told to expect.

The same kind of protests that have rocked Paris, London and Rome could erupt in California, New York and Illinois.

We are heading into uncharted political territory as state and local governments face the reality that promises can't be kept. Will the unionized government institutions go down without a fight? Will the dependent class of Americans that government has created just shrug and accept the spending-cut medicine?

The schism between the governed and those governing could become greater than ever as the government tries to protect itself for its own sake and not for the public good. The millions of Americans who have lost jobs or face increasing economic uncertainty resent the relative posterity and security that government now provides for itself. President Obama will say he is for more "stimulus," but even the money-making printing presses in Washington are at their limits.

Besides, with a Republican majority in the House and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell having veto power in the Senate, there will not be a bailout from Washington.

Fasten your seat belts; there is trouble ahead.