Seeing all the lists of top ten events of 2010 makes me want to come up with a forward-looking list of wishes for 2011. The risk of creating such a list is not just that it will not come true, but that it will include wishes that have no realistic possibility of coming true. While my reach may exceed my grasp, I am nevertheless going to limit the list to matters within some reasonable realm of the possible. I therefore won't include wishes for world peace, an end to terrorism, or that North Korea will become a beneficent state, even though I would love to see all those things come to pass. Also, some items on the list will focus on matters that are (or, in my opinion, should be) important to lawyers and others in Boston and Massachusetts. I have limited the list to matters of public policy, and have not included many things I might wish for in areas such as technological advancements or artistic or athletic achievements. Finally, as with any top ten list, there is a risk of omission, but I have done my best to include what seems most important at this writing.
With those limitations, here are some possibilities I hope for in the new year.
1. That we will make real progress in taming unemployment, and that many of the millions of Americans who have been displaced from their jobs in the last two years will be able to re-enter the workforce in meaningful ways.
2. That we will see a rebirth of bipartisanship in government, with our leaders working together to find common ground for the benefit of all Americans.
3. That American forces will finally leave Iraq and begin withdrawing from Afghanistan, safely and with the honor and appreciation that they deserve.
4. That we Americans will renew our commitment to equality for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or social and financial status.
5. That we will find the resources and the commitment to adequately fund our courts and the organizations that provide legal services to the poor.
6. That the women and men in Massachusetts who work in probation and parole will do an effective job of keeping out of jail those who do not belong there, and of keeping in jail those who do belong there, and that we will not lose sight of the importance and the difficulty of each function.
7. That we will do a better job of matching the over-supply of lawyers with the heightened need for legal services for the poor and middle class.
8. That our government will more effectively regulate industry without overreaching or stifling innovation and competition.
9. That we will make strides in protecting privacy in the face of technological forces that threaten to obliterate it.
10. That we will find the resources to support our schools and to keep our children safe in underprivileged communities.
And allow me to add an 11th wish to you who read this for a happy and prosperous New Year. May we all find the strength, courage, vision and goodwill to meet the challenges and to celebrate the successes that lie ahead.
With those limitations, here are some possibilities I hope for in the new year.
1. That we will make real progress in taming unemployment, and that many of the millions of Americans who have been displaced from their jobs in the last two years will be able to re-enter the workforce in meaningful ways.
2. That we will see a rebirth of bipartisanship in government, with our leaders working together to find common ground for the benefit of all Americans.
3. That American forces will finally leave Iraq and begin withdrawing from Afghanistan, safely and with the honor and appreciation that they deserve.
4. That we Americans will renew our commitment to equality for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or social and financial status.
5. That we will find the resources and the commitment to adequately fund our courts and the organizations that provide legal services to the poor.
6. That the women and men in Massachusetts who work in probation and parole will do an effective job of keeping out of jail those who do not belong there, and of keeping in jail those who do belong there, and that we will not lose sight of the importance and the difficulty of each function.
7. That we will do a better job of matching the over-supply of lawyers with the heightened need for legal services for the poor and middle class.
8. That our government will more effectively regulate industry without overreaching or stifling innovation and competition.
9. That we will make strides in protecting privacy in the face of technological forces that threaten to obliterate it.
10. That we will find the resources to support our schools and to keep our children safe in underprivileged communities.
And allow me to add an 11th wish to you who read this for a happy and prosperous New Year. May we all find the strength, courage, vision and goodwill to meet the challenges and to celebrate the successes that lie ahead.
I would expect no less from you than this very thoughtful, utterly beautiful post. Please keep blogging!
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