Blog
-
Obama: Call more summits
I know
people have said the health care summit came
and went with scant notice – that it was
either a naïve or cynical political move. But
we should look again. There’s genuine
potential in holding a series of summits that
the Obama Administration should seize. It would
be good politics; even more, a real
contribution for the country. Before you
dismiss me out of hand, please read on.
At the moment, our politics are a mess. Battles between Democrats and Republicans are at fever pitch. There seem to be new scandals revealed each day. The name of the game is to corner your opponent and do as much damage as possible. The dominant frame of reference is now the mid-term congressional elections – not taking substantive action on major issues.
Ordinarily, I have pooh-poohed efforts like one-day summits. What in God’s name could ever be accomplished? But these are no ordinary times. The demonization of opponents without any accountability for what one says leaves the political process left hostage to those who are willing to impose the most damage. We are seeing those at the fringes of politics – here in Washington, D.C and throughout the land – grab the microphone and dominate public discourse.
I watched almost all the health care summit. A few of things stood out for me. First, there actually was something resembling a conversation at times. Second, the conversation often focused on real issues and underlying values. Third, there were healthy differences, but also important places of agreement for moving ahead.
And yet, when the summit ended, and I watched CNN and other news outlets, it was amazing to see that they framed nearly all their coverage in terms of the differences and tantalizing sound bites. Their coverage followed true to form, and did little to reflect what I had just witnessed.
But the lack of political progress and the lousy media coverage shouldn’t dictate our next steps; in fact, they should embolden us to move ahead. The fact that Democrats and Republicans at the summit demonstrated they could engage should give us some modicum of hope. For much of the summit, most these leaders were able to lift themselves out of their normal tit-for-tat. Among Republicans, I was particularly impressed by Senators Lamar Alexander, Mike Enzi, and Tom Coburn and Representative Paul Ryan. There are reasonable people on the other side of the aisle The White House can work with.
Which leads me to this proposal: the president should convene summits on a host of key issues. The metric here is not whether we see new legislation produced; of course, that would be good. But first think of these summits as a crowbar, or lever, used to pry open space for reasonable public discourse we sorely need. Think of them as a disruption to shake up the status quo to get us out of our negative default mode. Think of them as a way to defuse the tension in the political system and to force leaders to sit at the same table rubbing elbows. Think of them as a way to show that having real differences – on priorities, values, and ideas – is not something to avoid but to see as just part of reality.
We desperately need to change up the rules of the game. That’s one of the main themes President Obama ran on. Politicians will engage differently when they realize that’s the only way to get a seat at the table. The message needs to be clear: you can stand on the sidelines and be acrimonious and divisiveness all you want, but it won’t get you in the room.
Finally, this process must be public so that people across the country can see their leaders and how they engage. When some of the leaders at the health care summit wouldn’t move off the political talking points, they looked silly. Let’s shine a bright line on them for all to see.
Of course, the health care summit came too late in the larger political process to allow for any changes in health care reform. OK, that was a mistake. But we shouldn’t make the lesson we learn that the summit held no value. Or that it holds little potential for the future. -
O Canada, You Hockey Puck
Just to the north of us sits a
grand and vast nation that just hosted the 2010
Winter Olympics with grace and aplomb. As I
watched the Olympics unfold, I was reminded of
what it means to have a neighbor you respect,
even adore. And I was reminded of the beauty of
patriotism that comes in the form of humble
devotion.
First, before another word, let me get something off my chest: I am a devoted hockey fan, and I was crushed when Canada defeated Team USA on Sunday, 3-2 in overtime. I remember standing in a Skidmore College dorm, watching the 1980 Miracle on Ice with my buddies, when Team USA defeated the Soviets and then went on to win the Gold. That was an incredible moment, and this year’s team was comparable.
And yet, truth be told, I was also filled with joy for Canadians on Sunday. Just watching the game, you could feel the swelling pride of the nation as Team Canada asserted itself. The red and white uniform of Canada was adorned by almost all fans – perhaps all Canadians – as scores of maple leaf flags swung back and forth. Many people say that hockey is like religion in Canada. So, it is.
But in hosting these Olympic Games, and in winning the hockey Gold, we witnessed something else about Canada, something that has always been there, but which maybe in the States we don’t always see, or perhaps we take for granted. There is a humility about Canadians that is special and inviting. Even in winning they are understated and gracious. Sidney Crosby, perhaps the best hockey player alive today, was asked after the game if, after scoring the overtime goal, his individual play was special. His response: that play could have been made by any of my teammates.
Maybe I have a romantic view of Canada; except the people in Canada who I’ve worked with seem to reflect these same sensibilities. My kids often say that I wish I could be Canadian – well, I’m a proud American, but I’m also a proud neighbor of Canada.
In fact, I remember as a kid growing up in upstate New York, not too far from the Canadian border; it was during a time when it was easy to go back and forth between countries. Fast forward to more recent times, when I remember visiting Canada for work, and I was required to have my passport. Yes, this was post 9/11, but it seemed so out of character given the relationship between the two nations. It still feels like a violation of friendship.
I know it’s hokey (not hockey) to say that I felt great when seeing those ads during the Olympics touting the US/Canada relationship, depicting the sweeping vistas of our respective lands, reminding us of our unprecedented trading relationship, and celebrating our long and peaceful border. I don’t mean to be saccharine about all this; but, I was literally proud of the relationship between our two countries.
I have a trip planned to Ontario in May, and I am looking forward to it. Of course, I’ll have to get into a little give-and-take with my Canadian friends about the Olympic hockey game; but then I know we’ll get down to work, and the friendship between our two nations will carry on. Sometimes the (other) good guys win – and when that happens, the world seems good and right for a moment. -
Health Care Summit - Do or Die
Lots of
people are saying the televised health care
summit on Thursday will be all show and no
substance. While the meeting itself may produce
little, the nation is at a critical inflection
point. There’s a way out of the current
gridlock and acrimony, but it will take real
courage and humility by President Obama and
congressional leaders to make progress.
Here’s how to start.
It’s safe to say that public discourse on health care has reached an impasse. No one is budging. That shouldn’t be a surprise given that the nation itself is at a classic impasse stage. People of all political persuasions said in the last election, “Enough is enough!” in terms of the nation’s silly and vacuous politics; but all agreement ends there. It’s a mistake to confuse people’s desire to change politics and public life with common ground on how to move forward on major issues. In this situation, the more one pushes, the more people dig in.
At issue is how best to move ahead. One critical piece of the answer is how we choose to think about the health care debate. If this is only about “fixing” health care – however one chooses to define that – we all lose. Under that scenario, the President and Democrats will keep pushing for comprehensive reform, and the Republicans will keep calling to scrap everything and start all over. The Democrats may win through some back-door reconciliation process, but that will cause even more damage to our public affairs.
We have a choice to put the nation on a different trajectory, and not just on health care, but overall, where real public discourse and problem-solving can occur. But here’s what it will take:1. We must recognize that the health care debate is as much about re-setting the conditions of politics and public life as it is about health care itself. Efforts to build confidence and trust are pivotal for near- and long-term change.
2. At an impasse stage, what people want most is to know that we’re moving in the right direction, and that they can trust whatever action has been taken. Thus, what’s most important is that the President and congressional leaders agree on a package that is doable and real. Most people will neither support nor trust large-scale change.
3. It’s imperative to reach across the aisle. For those who say that’s impossible, I merely point to yesterday for evidence, when five Senate Republicans joined with Democrats on a new jobs bill. But be clear: let’s not do bipartisanship window dressing; the actions need to be tough-minded and real.
4. Upon agreement, the President and congress should immediately announce the next important issue they will address. They should choose an issue where progress is possible. Remember, setting a new trajectory is essential here.
So, much of this discussion comes down to how one thinks change comes about on an issue, our willingness to see and hear all people, and the urgent need to put the nation on a different course.
To make progress, we will need to summon the humility to understand that we are working in a greater arc of history and that we must shape our actions to the moment. We must not over-reach and over-promise, and thus end up with nothing. That said, we must also have the courage to answer the call to alter the very trajectory of politics and public life – to step forward and put us on a different path, one that is truly more authentic and hopeful.
The health care debate provides this opportunity. We should seize the moment. -
Patrick Kennedy's Redemption
I was filled with sorrow when I heard
about
Patrick Kennedy’s recent decision to leave
Congress. My reaction to his announcement is
completely different from how I feel about the
many Congressional members now lining up to
leave town. Patrick Kennedy helps us to see
what personal redemption might look like. As a
nation, we need him. Here’s why.
Over 15 years ago, I received a series of major grants from the Pew Charitable Trusts to work on issues of political conduct. As part of that work, we convened Citizen Assemblies with citizens to create what became known as the Harwood Barometer for Political Conduct. In those citizen sessions, we showed a PBS Frontline documentary about Patrick Kennedy’s first Congressional race – an ugly, disheartening look at politics as usual. Unfortunately, young Kennedy was off to an inauspicious start.
But something happened to Patrick Kennedy along the way. He found himself face-to-face with personally harrowing challenges, including alcoholism, depression, and drug addiction. In 2005, he crashed his car in front of the U.S. Capitol. Over time, he has been in and out of substance abuse programs. Each step along the way, he has endured unwanted publicity, scrutiny, and, yes, public humiliation.
He has always worked in the shadows of the extended Kennedy clan – from his father, to his many cousins, to his inspiring uncles. As a legislator, he could never match Ted Kennedy’s record. In an AOLnews.com piece, Laurence Leamer, author of three Kennedy books, said that Patrick was perhaps “the saddest” of all the Kennedy’s. That’s quite a claim given the family’s history of tragedy.
Patrick Kennedy could have easily retreated given all his missteps and humiliations, the larger-than-life expectations, the relentless poking and prodding. But he didn’t. Instead he stepped forward and became one of the nation’s leading voices on issues of substance abuse and the treatment of mental health; think about it – each time he spoke out on these issues, he invited people to recall his own failings. He allowed himself to be vulnerable in service to others who face enormous challenges. Now, he finds himself having to work through yet another personal challenge in the public eye – the death of his father.
We need Patrick Kennedy. He reminds us that redemption is possible. He has demonstrated heart-felt courage, not to retreat from or to wall-off our deepest secrets and fears. By showing up each day, he reminds us that vulnerability can be a virtue. His voice on substance abuse and mental health issues is a clarion call not to hide from ourselves or others, even when hiding may be the easiest thing to do.
We live during a time when people’s realities too often are distorted or dismissed, all so that politicians and the news media, among others, can elevate themselves to loftier positions; it’s easy to take the easy road. But, when push came to shove, Patrick Kennedy took the hardest road of all. He stepped forward, accounted for himself, and made the commitment to stay engaged in life.
There are many things Patrick Kennedy has said or done that I don’t necessarily agree with. But they pale in comparison to what I believe he has come to achieve. No doubt, his story is incomplete; but so too is our own.