By Ed Slavin / St. Augustine
Posted Nov 17, 2018 at 9:10 PMUpdated Nov 17, 2018 at 9:10 PM
We have much to be thankful for at Thanksgiving 2018, that uniquely American holiday first celebrated right here in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565. (Sorry about that, Jamestown, Virginia).

Democracy is on the march. We’re thankful for defenders of our Constitution and all of our Founders’ brilliant Constitutionally-protected bulwarks against oppression — checks and balances, including freedom of the press and speech, congressional watchdoggery, an independent judiciary and trial by jury.
Americans reject corruption. That’s why we elected Democrats to lead U.S. House of Representatives.
We’re thankful for skyrocketing voter turnouts. Youth voting increased! We’re enthusiastic, electing new leaders and candidates. Some who lost may be elected in 2020 — e.g., Beto O’Rourke, Rose Bailey and Jill Pacetti.
American politics is being transformed before our eyes. Diverse leaders have been elected, including 100 GLBQ officials. New Democratic governors include the first openly Gay governor (Colorado), and 19 African-American women judges in Harris County, Texas. Seven scientists and engineers were elected to Congress, including a South Carolina environmental lawyer. Delightfully deposed as science-denying House Science and Technology was committee chair Lamar Smith.
What’s next?
Let’s re-create and revive Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (abolished under Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1995). OTA will help us make data-based decisions affecting the future of planet Earth. Ocean level rise, climate change, nuclear weapons require realism, and independent, balanced, objective scientific and engineering analysis. We need expertise and reliable data: Enough simplistic shibboleths.
We’re thankful for the re-election of reform Mayor Nancy Shaver. Joined by re-elected Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline and newly elected John Valdes, we believe that Mayor Shaver and Commissioners Roxanne Horvath and Leanna Freeman, will now work together to reinvent government, rewriting old laws, protecting our environment and history from ocean level rise and tree-killing and the wetland-destroying developers’ demolition derby.
St. Augustine must review/improve/update/fine-tune its ancient Charter.
We’re thankful for the city’s and UF’s Solomonic compromise to contextualize, not remove, monuments to dead Confederate veterans. We support rights to lawful protest and preserving the peace, like the new Plaza de la Constitucion protest location ordinance. People protesting an event must stay on the outside sidewalk, not barge through and step on toes, like 2017.
Local corruption may slowly but surely go out of style, even in St Augustine Beach. We’re grateful for increased scrutiny, as was evidenced by the astonishingly split 4-2 vote of the Florida Ethics Commission not to punish then-Mayor Richard O’Brien’s secret, illegal letter to the county on city letterhead supporting no-bid farmer’s market lease renewal for St. Augustine Beach Civic Association Inc. While O’Brien escaped ethics penalties, St. Johns County Commission ended SABCA’s no-bid lease, invited bids and selected a new vendor.
The once-“Grand Old Party” has rebranded itself as “Trump Club ” We’re thankful that in the 116th Congress, our House of Representatives will be a majority of Democratic. Commencing in January, Congress now resumes its constitutional function as watchdog (not a lapdog) — a co-equal branch. Congress will help expose corruption, civil/constitutional rights violations, cronyism, waste, fraud, abuse, misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, flummery, dupery and nincompoopery.
We’re thankful for Special Counsel Robert Mueller exposing wrongdoing. Results matter: indictments, convictions and guilty pleas, and a much-anticipated final report.
What’s next? Rev. John Winthrop said in 1630, quoting Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, America must truly become a “shining city on a hill.” We expect honor, honesty and dignity from our American governments. We expect Justice for Michelle O’Connell.
We’re thankful for the wisdom and courage of our Americans Founders, and generations who pledged and gave their lives to preserving, protecting and defending freedom.
Happy Thanksgiving.