Look at the gracious apology from the president and CEO of Toyota as a comparison to our nation’s lack of accountability in society.

Yes there is a Japanese tradition that is different than our own, but imagine if we could embrace the idea in public life of being more open to simple apologies when mistakes are made.

I believe our nation is hungry for courageous honesty, deep humility and genuine transparency around our political dialogue. That’s a small part of the reason Obama’s genuine dialogue with House Republicans was so appreciated by the national community.

My hope is that we in state government can begin to embrace a new level of honesty. Our tax system is broken and needs repair, but we must have the courage to embrace bold government systems reforms before we tackle taxes. We must embrace the hard work of speaking truth to our stakeholders and allies, progressive and conservative, to move our state forward.

Will the Republicans embrace a dialogue that goes deeper than ‘no new taxes’ and government is the central problem? Will the Democrats courageously discuss new ways of running the business of government so that the status quo can change in a more progressive fashion?

The 2010 legislative session requires us to think, act and move forward in new ways. So far, we are struggling to get our footing.

We are so much more than what we’ve become.

It starts with courageous honesty and deep humility of purpose from all of us. Leadership matters.

Your partner in service,

Reuven.