The day was perfect, warmer than we had been lead to expect, and brilliant.  A fine day for inaugurating Alabama’s new governor. 

After a close and bitterly fought election; one so close that the incumbent governor, Don Siegelman, did not concede defeat until almost two weeks after election day, Republicans in Alabama were giddy at the prospect of seeing former Congressman Bob Riley take the oath of office on January 20^th.

There will, of course, be a brief honeymoon period.  Most folks think that ends soon after March 4^th when the Democratically controlled legislature goes into session.  But the weekend’s inaugural festivities suggested nothing but optimism and an embracing of the inaugural theme “A New Day for Alabama.”

Of course, we in Alabama have heard that before.  While other southern states have embraced a progressive “new south” persona, Alabama has often steadfastly, almost proudly, refused to embrace innovation and progress.  Our schools, prisons, and roads remain obscenely under funded while our citizens steadfastly cling to a tax structure that is the most regressive in the nation.  Our property taxes are the lowest in the nation and would retain that distinction even if they were doubled (some claim even if they were tripled).  Yet time and time again, voters in cities and counties across Alabama refuse to sanction property tax increases to strengthen their local schools.  This is a state that knows it has problems, big problems, but its people often appear to fear change more than they fear failure.

The fear of change is the biggest single obstacle that Governor Riley (or any Governor) faces in leading Alabama over the next four years.  Riley ran on a platform of change; he has defined the terms for his success with terms like progress, reform, and innovation.  His campaign ads and literature pictured Mr. Riley on his horse, inviting the inevitable comparisons with Ronald Reagan, but also inviting voters to see Mr. Riley as a knight in shining armor riding to Alabama’s rescue.

On Monday, it was so easy to embrace that image.  There was Mr. Riley standing in the pulpit of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church proclaiming that if did nothing else he would seek to end the divisions between the races.  There he was after taking the oath of office lauding the Spirit of Alabama as exemplified by civil rights leader Johnnie Carr, military hero Mike Spann, and the musical group Alabama.  There he was, the new governor, walking the streets of Montgomery laughing and talking with his fellow citizens along the parade route.  Yes, it was easy to believe on Monday.  There were no Republicans or Democrats, white or black, male or female–we all carried the Spirit of Alabama within us.

That’s the beauty of an inaugural.  For one day we allow ourselves to believe in all the possibilities.  For one day we can put aside our differences and believe that we can live up to the promises held within our best selves.

There were, of course, the grumblings of a few that Governor Riley offered no specifics on how he was going to fix Alabama’s many problems.  But that’s not what inaugurals are supposed to do.  Inaugurals are for healing wounds and for inspiration.  Inaugurals are celebration and ceremony; they are about dreams and visions.

Of course reality will eventually set in.  Change is a tricky business (especially if you are a conservative).  The specifics of change will eventually have to be named and, as a friend of mine is fond of saying, “the devil is in the details.” 

But I’m going to go out on a limb here and encourage Governor Riley to keep the dreams of inauguration day alive as long as possible.  Without the dream, the specifics will be nothing more than a series of turf battles to be won or lost in the legislature.  If Governor Riley can offer a clear vision of what we want this state to look like over the next few years and if he can communicate that vision so that Alabamians can embrace it, then he just might have a chance to bring some meaningful changes to the way this state is governed.  More importantly, perhaps this governor can help us to reorganize our priorities so that, finally, we fear failure more than we fear change.  That could be his greatest accomplishment.

Dr. Susan Fillippeli owns Phronesis Consulting and is a contributing writer for PurePolitics.com.