Following Barack Obama’s inauguration as President of the United States it has become evidently clear that inclusive participation is one of the areas that he will be bringing forward as head of the executive.

In this area the issues of immigration and unemployment figure prominently. Now it is only due to the scale of the problems that the US and the world are facing in the economy and foreign policy that one may expect the new President to undertake policies of fundamental change, rather than simply tinkering with the structure.

Tinkering reform would amount to no more than a superficial change to the existing body of laws, temporarily satiating the public demand for change – until such time as the system can go back to its old ways.

Reform of this kind is no real reform since it is usually undertaken by conservative people who put on a radical image in order to keep up with the times. Since such people are content to lead their way of life in the old mode, it is only a matter of appearance – giving a perception of radicalism in today’s society of the spectacle.

For such superficial reformers change should not interfere with their diaries of appointments and travel. Travelling and visiting all the exotic places even for weekends or just a few days is very important even if such travel is to attend conferences on the importance to meet targets on the reduction of global carbon emissions. It never occurred to them that they would have contributed more to their cause by missing rather than attending such conferences.

Change should also not interfere with their directorships of the economy and foreign policies which have landed us all in such a mess. The superficial reformers are our managers who have landed the ship of state in such shallow waters that jobs are now expected to be lost in such large numbers that hardship will visit an increasing number of families every week.

Let us talk straight, fundamental change means that the most sensitive issue is to be faced without ifs and buts. The superficial reformers have to make way to the real reformers since what the superficial reformers have been doing all these years is benefiting themselves at the expense of the public purse while playing for time. There is no time left. The superficial reformers are being asked politely to make way before the anger of the people reaches such an intensity that it would be difficult to control!

Mario Mifsud

Hamrun