This was my Writers Group Column in the Spectrum on December 1, 2011
I wonder if those loudly proclaiming the idea of American Exceptionalism are reflecting upon the failure of the Congressional “super committee” to reach a bipartisan agreement addressing our growing fiscal crisis. The members of the committee have assumed the Washington default position of blaming the other side for the failure. In what today appears to be an understatement, Tom Friedman once noted that our governing bodies are incapable of producing anything better than sub-optimal solutions to our problems.
Washington’s ineffectiveness and ineptitude increases our vulnerability if the fiscal problems in Europe worsen or the financial markets decide we are incapable of governing.
Lately I have been rereading the history of the beginnings of our nation from the “shot heard round the world” in 1775 through the adoption of the Constitution in 1787. The Founding Fathers, miraculously by today’s standards, managed to compromise over very contentious issues leading to the formation of our nation. Today many of our legislators are mired in ideological inflexibility. Compromise is a dirty word.
From my perspective, the Republican unwillingness to consider raising taxes on those who have reaped a disproportionate share of the economic gains in recent decades is unreasonable in the face of polls showing that sixty percent or more of the people support such an action. What is so difficult about compromising between no tax increases and no cuts in entitlement programs? A compromise including some tax increases and some reduction in entitlements seems obvious to those outside of politics.
I know that is a bit simplistic, but that general principle could guide the consideration of the details by focusing negotiations on the recommendations of the Simpson/Bowles and the Rivlin/Domenici committees. Costs of reforms can be spread across many segments of our society.
The public has for too long been seduced by political assurances that we can have all that we want without paying for benefits received. It is past time to bite the bullet and get the country on a sustainable economic path.
I contrast the sacrifices we resist making with those we ask of the members of our military and their families. Marine Corporal Aaron Mankin recently received the 2011 Veteran Leadership Award from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (iava.org). In 2005 an improvised explosive device blew up the military vehicle that Corporal Mankin was riding in killing six of his fellow marines. He escaped the vehicle with life threatening burns that severely scarred his face destroying his ears and nose.
After sixty surgeries, Corporal Mankin continues speaking out in support of Operation Mend (operationmend.ucla.edu) and the dedicated people that helped him recover his life.
His acceptance speech can be found on the IAVA web site. It should be required viewing for all members of Congress.
American exceptionalism radiates from the soul of this Marine hero.
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