Making change

Change.

It is the buzzword of the campaign so far. It is the message that Barack Obama has based his campaign on (that, and hope). It is the message that John Edwards is representing when he talks of taking on corporate interests. Hillary Clinton talked in New Hampshire about the fact that she spent 35 years making change and will continue to make change.

While there are some differences between the three, it is evident that each one does bring an element of change, even if more of it is lip service. I, as well as many others in the progressive blogosphere (and elsewhere) want to see drastic changes from the past decade.

Even the republicans are getting into the change business now - I just heard Mitt Romney on the Today Show talk about how he can bring change. Almost a year ago, Chuck Hagel said that the republican party must change. Ron Paul seconded that comment a few months ago. Mike Huckabee said last week that change is necessary. And John McCain - the ultimate DC insider (regardless of his double, um, “straight” talk) said after the Iowa caucuses that “change is coming”.

Of course, much of this is hopping on the bandwagon of what is likely going to be the one word that ultimately will describe this campaign when we look back on it. But with all of the talk about who can make the most change and who can make the best change and who has the most experience with making change - every single candidate has severely missed the boat.

Not one has come up with a message about making change that is remotely close to, as powerful as, or as convincing as this one below. And until someone does, the meme of “making change” will always fall short in practice when compared to the following video that I am sure no candidate wants you to see:

Now that is a message about how to really, truly and HONESTLY make change for the people you serve.