Dear Antonio: Be Like Barack

Dear Antonio:

Congratulations on joining Barack Obama's council of economic advisers  It's a great honor and an even greater responsibility given the crisis facing the nation and the President-elect's commitment to unify America.

I hope from the bottom of my heart that you embrace the values he articulated during his long campaign -- change and hope, transparency and honesty, inclusion and empowerment of ordinary people, respect for people everywhere even those who oppose his policies.

Most of all, he has pledged to lead from the center, to govern for the benefit of the middle class and create opportunity for others to reach the middle class.

We haven't talked to each other for a while but I know you believe in what Obama believes in, what his election victory shows the majority of Americans believe in.

But beliefs and the words used to express them are not always the same as the actions we take, the decisions we make.

It's no secret that I believe you are not living up to your beliefs, that the discontent of the people runs deep. I understand the politics of your situation and how difficult it is to stand up against the forces that exercise such overwhelming power in Los Angeles.

You spoke with Neil Cavuto on Fox News on Friday after meeting with Obama and said how you support his plan to give tax cuts to 95 percent of the people. Yet, your own record shows an endless series of hikes in rates, fees and taxes.

And what has become of that money? Most of it has gone to city employees who already earn more and have better benefits than the average person struggling to keep their jobs and homes, to contractors and consultants who already live well off of the city treasury, to large corporations in the form subsidies for luxury hotels and multi-million dollar condominiums.

What few benefits have trickled down have done little to help the middle class or those working so hard to live middle class lives.

Sadly, the special interests have feasted under your leadership. The communities of Los Angeles are more divided than ever. Despite massive increases in revenue, the city faces its worst deficit in history even as it awards huge raises to its workers and its top officials and even more regressive tax and rates hikes are planned.

You have used your political power and access to special interest money to scare away those who could make serious challenges to your re-election campaign but you still must face the voters and will be judged by public opinion even if only a small minority of voters are motivated to cast ballots.

Merely winning the election already is a foregone conclusion but it means nothing if you have lost the confidence of the people in your leadership, in the future of the city.

Heed the words of our nation's new leader who spoke in his victory speech of the "new dawn of American leadership," of the need to "heal the divide" and the "new spirit of service," of the promise of democracy and the "unyielding hope American can change."

Give us real leadership and heal our divisions, transform our tradition of self-service in government into a new tradition of public service, and bring us democracy and inspire new hope that Los Angeles can change for the better.

Give in to your own better nature and fulfill your greater dreams by knocking down the secrecy and back room deals and bringing the people into government as full partners. Seek your destiny in the greatness of our city, not in the flattery of those who live off the system while the city deteriorates.

Give voice to the people and help us give life to a spirit of L.A. that unites us and liberates our energy for the common good.

Our city, like our nation, teeters on the brink. Great changes are coming. We are fearful and we are angry. You are at a turning point in your own life as well. You can be a political boss who seeks advantage for himself and those who help him.

Or you can be the leader of all of the people -- and be their servant.

Love and respect,

Ron