By RANDELL A. MONACO, Esq.
November 27, 2010
In a recently published Rasmussen Report it was noted that 47 percent of American’s polled by telephone said our Nation’s “best days are in the past.” Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times Op-Ed Columnist and economist, in response authored Got to Get This Right which outlined his concerns to America. I first became aware of his article after noticing the length of a comment thread to his article on my Facebook. After reading the article, I returned to my Facebook page to give more than a glancing observation to the investment of this collective intelligence.
Let me say first, that I am fond of the intelligence of my particular group of friends on Facebook. As a group, I believe that America could again be a great nation if everyone’s friend-list shared a comparable collective intellect and engagement. Now with that said, what really jumped out at me next was that virtually everyone, including Thomas Friedman himself, failed to see, mention or discuss the single most important element required to change the course of what I agree is a disturbing trend.
To “get this moment right” we will need more than stimulus, hybrid politics, hard choices and a workable plan. We will need more than Medicare and Social Security entitlement cuts, investments in infrastructure, schools and government-financed research programs.
What America needs to get right now is a shared vision, a dream if you will, not a mere plan. The best possible plan, and I don’t think there is just one but potentially many, will be doomed to fail even before its inception without restoring the nation’s collective vision of who and what America is as a nation. In my opinion, a shared vision is the essential element to what becomes of our nation. The entire world depends upon America’s vision of itself as a nation.
I feel that Friedman’s assessment, that American’s want a plan to make America great again states the obvious. Our long-term concerns and intuitive awakening is an important step to a beginning for our nation, but sadly the idea of Hybrid politics to make these hard choices will never find the support needed because our collective trust in America’s elected government is gone, absent and non-existent.
The continued partisan politics, blame and increasing citizen engagement has become little more than a dog chasing it own tail. Without a shared vision, we are each guaranteed one thing in this moment we’ve “Got to Get This Right” which is, more of the same! We are each to blame on some level for how we got to this historical place whether it be, apathy, ignoring self dealing or failing to demand political accountability, take your pick. I don’t believe that all politicians are corrupt but the fact is that the system is broken and we are all in this boat together.
With that said, I commend President Obama for his efforts to steer America toward the future and away from public calls for accountability in Washington and on Wall Street when first elected. Then as now, America needs leadership and engaging in the blame game won’t deliver or contribute much if anything at all. The best thing the president could do right now is declare his support for election reform that has as a component publically funded campaign finance, transparency and accountability.
America needs and deserves a government that functions outside the conflicting interests that has destroyed our collective trust. A government that functions 100% of the time in their constitutionally mandated service, underline service of the “people” they are elected to govern.
We have recently seen congressional hearings at public expense giving audience to comedians like Stephan Colbert, Justice Department prosecution of Roger Clemens stemming from Senate hearings on inquiries about steroid use in Major League Baseball all the while ignoring the conduct of corporate America on Wall Street and their influence in Washington. Is that how we really expect our elected government to spend their day and our money? Do they really expect to find credible solutions entertaining comedians on issues like immigration on C-SPAN? Are we really that stupid or is it that our elected government believes that we are?
Shouldn’t our expectations be that the compensation received by our elected and appointed officials be earned in the “service” of America’s people? When did it become acceptable to campaign on our dime? Who spends $140 million dollars trying to get a job that pays $212,179.00 annually for four years? Why? Why are these want-to-be politicians like Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman who for 28 years didn’t even vote, suddenly deciding on a career in public service? Shouldn’t we be offended by what we’ve seen?
Once Americans begin to understand that their collective engagement in partisan debate at this point is little more than civic masturbation, we can begin to examine how to change our government and restore the ideals of our nation which is the work of public service not self service.
Our long term concerns, if we “Got to Get This Right”, should be mindful of an important economical reality which is that 78 million baby boomers have begun to retire. The economics of this fact cannot be overstated from a health care, tax revenue and political support perspectives. And as a long term concern our educational investment in human capital, America’s greatest resource must ensure our competitiveness fifteen years into the future without the disruption of the four to eight year cycle that insures an unrealized benefit.
America does not need another plan – we as a nation need a shared “Vision” of what America stands for, is, should have been and should always be. Our shared vision needs to be seen in a vivid, detailed and credible image. Not as another partisan idea or promise. Partisanship at this juncture is the enemy insuring only our failure at the starting gate.
As a workable course for the country right now — one that needs to take place before any meaningful planned nation-building can take place, America needs election reform and a thorough house cleaning that restores our collective trust in elected government.
The best thing our president can do right now is declare his support for the draft recommendations of the Fair Elections Now Act developed through the efforts of Harvard University Professor Lawrence Lessig and the Fix Congress First organization. (www.fixcongressfirst.org ) My recommendation should not be considered a wholesale endorsement. It is genuinely my belief that congressional reform is the “Vision” America’s democracy needs to share at this threshold of any new plan for our nation.
Finally, I too believe that we would follow the president and our elected government - pay more taxes and give up more services – if, and only if, we believe that the plan is one that will truly make America great again.
[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/opinion/28friedman.html]
