Your Seat at the Table

I have been following an historic event in the area of public involvement in governmental process. President Elect Obama’s change.gov, it is truly amazing through the power of transparency that I sitting here in Thailand am allowed to participate through comments and intense debate at the same time that the meetings are going on.

Why would someone be interested in these meetings? Simple, we all face the same problems. The financial crisis, rising unemployment, energy crisis, healthcare, recession and education all are problems every country must face.

In the past all of these issues were kept behind closed doors lacking public input and transparency. Transparency is the process that allows real change. The process is called Your Seat at the Table.



Thailand has put into place the beginnings of this process with egov sites for example in paying taxes. Thailand can make available all policy documents from official meetings on policy issues in real time. This can replace archaic tactics of carrying signs on the street, avoiding mob hysteria, three phrases dumbing-down issues and many other social ills.

This is a posted comment that shows how this applies to every country. “This site allows an exchange of information that will help educate and inform the people of our nation to engage and commit to act when and where opportunities are found.”

This will allow our leaders to also formulate and implement policy decisions more quickly as feedback can be gathered from around the world. It is just too hot in Thailand to carry a sign on the street and to allow critical policies decisions to be paralyzed at a time of domestic and global crisis.

Get your seat at the table.

Yes, We can.

In a world of crisis a once in a generation leader is born, just as a generation ago Sir Winston Churchill was that leader and brought the world to victory and now President Elect Obama is that world leader called upon in the time of the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression, in countries divided such as our own and at a time when our planet is at peril. Why is this so important to us in Thailand coming from a leader of a country so far away from us? And most important what is the answer to our problems?
The answer came from President Elect Obama’s victory speech in three words “Yes, We can”. The mighty words of Democracy, Free Markets and Government By the People and For the People are not at fault. The failure has come from the implementation of these great ideals. Generations of trickle-down economics and trickle-down politics benefiting a chosen few are on their way out of the world stage. This is the change that is coming.
President Elect Obama did not come from the powers that be nor was his campaign born in the hall of power in Washington instead he came from a background not unlike most of us against all odds received an education through honest hard work and belief in self and country. This experience gives him an insight into the problems facing most of us in our daily lives that government has forgotten.
The reality that some problems are greater than the individual and the solution of sink or swim can no longer be followed instead the reality that government has a responsibility and a duty to respond to these problems for all people rich or poor. “Yes, We can”, is the answer for all of us not just America as President Elect Obama has pointed out in his victory speech it is the answer for the world. Along the way, it will be pointed out by cynics that we are not intelligent enough or educated enough or do not care or that it will take 500 years. Just remember cynics are for entertainment purposes only intent on the status quo, the answer is “Yes, We can”.
Many cynics will also say that this is just talk but the difference is it is the right talk. The implementation of “Yes, We can start with our individual efforts to answer the call to service in every aspect of our daily lives at work, leisure and family.
The reality is Thailand is a small player on the world stage but at one time so was England and Japan the fact is the sum of the parts is greater than the whole and thus we have a brighter future together in the era of globalization and we can contribute greatly. Can President Elect Obama guide America in the right direction and can we do the same? Yes, we can.