In addition to seeing more great bureaucrats in the New Year, I also hope to see many more victories against bureaucratic insanity in 2008. Here’s an inspirational example that proves the fight’s not just worth it, but win-able. This just in from Si Kahn:

Dear Board, Staff and Friends,

I couldn’t be happier this morning to report to you that we have a major victory in our Charlotte campaign, just announced publicly and officially in the “Charlotte Observer” this morning [article here].

The main campaign team (Pam Pompey, Les Schmidt and myself) will be meeting first thing next week to talk about next steps for keeping for-profit private prisons out of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County permanently, and for achieving significant reform in the County’s prison and criminal justice systems.

I’ve also attached, for historical value, the new campaign flyer we would have started passing out today, if we hadn’t won this wonderful victory. What a way to start the New Year!

Have a great weekend–and please take a moment to celebrate this moment.

All the best,

Si

PS If you’d like to make a contribution to help us honor this victory, you can do so on line at www.grassrootsleadership.org.

Heartiest congratulations to Si and his team for this terrific effort and success!

Peace.

Deborah Alicen