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November 1, 2016

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Home » Opinion » Foreign Views

Whoever wins election, status quo no longer option

Source: Agencies | November 1, 2016, Tuesday | Print Edition

DEAR editor,

I share many of Mr. Richard Haass’ opinions as expressed in his thoughtful article of October 27 (“America after the election: Deeper division between and within the two major parties,” Shanghai Daily.)

I agree with him that “deep divisions” will remain, both within the US at large and within the Democratic and Republican parties. However, I believe that the current “temperature,” if you will, of those divisions is such that unless significant and substantial policy changes emerge quickly from the next US President — and are received in a thoughtful and responsibly responsive manner by the Congress — significant civil unrest could well break out.

One of the reasons for this is candidate Trump’s irresponsible rhetoric about the election being “rigged” and that “voter fraud” is a widespread likelihood. Polls show that large majorities of his followers accept these false claims as being true, despite the fact that our electoral system is one of deep decentralization (as it is controlled by the several states and local officials) and that widespread voter-suppression by Republican legislators to make it difficult for ethnic and racial minorities and young people to vote is, in fact, what is occurring, not “voter fraud.”

Substantive reasons

But there are many more substantive reasons why “the system” is not working for millions of Americans. Unless serious steps are taken immediately to address the unemployment and despair that are endemic among many communities — through the Rust Belt of the east-central United States, as well as in the south and in rural areas of the American west — these people will be moved to consider even more radical voices than Mr. Trump’s. The dilemma here is that the Republican Party stoutly resists the very kind of forceful federal intervention — through, for example, jobs programs designed to repair and upgrade critical infrastructure — that could alleviate some of the poverty and despair these communities suffer from.

And the continuing saga of costly health care — only temporarily derailed by the passage of “Obamacare” — also demands renewed focus and a search for a more lasting fix.

The problem here is two-fold: first, again the Republicans have no real solution, for it is clear that they favor the very private companies — such as pharmaceuticals and health insurers — that are directly responsible for costs continuing to spiral ever higher; and, second, that even Democrats seem to balk at the one solution — akin to those adopted in other advanced countries — that would provide a single provider and, thus, more guaranteed access to needed care and the likelihood of more modest future price increases. If nothing is done, the present system will likely collapse like a house of cards.

Can the Republican Party free itself from the death-grip of the far Right and their rigid ideological approaches to every issue?

Can the Democratic Party formulate a meaningful, and understandable, platform for needed reform that can rally a majority of Americans behind needed policy steps?

Larger common good

Can the President and the Congress formulate a revived, intelligent foreign policy that works with allies and friendly nations to foster a more peaceful world order, one that deliberately seeks to avoid rivalries and that focuses on the larger common good?

Can we summon the courage to deal with China, Russia and others with whom we find ourselves in occasional disagreement as respected equals whom we seek to support and not denigrate? This alone will require a maturity and composure seldom seen in Washington these days.

And can the country as a whole find a way to disengage from the smarmy, vicious, and simply mean mud-slinging that passes for “dialogue” these days? Is there a way to separate honest news organizations from those whose purpose is to “spin” data to support previously arrived-at positions? Our problems are sufficiently grave and complicated without the sludge introduced by false “news” sources.

The only bright spot in this whole mess (and I am struggling here to find one) is that I believe conditions have become so grave that further denial or inaction will no longer be. Sometimes, in our personal lives, we do not find either the courage or will to behave differently until we have fallen on our face. It is only then that many of us can honestly accept the gravity of the situation and the need to find “new solutions.” I pray that my beloved country will find — somehow — the courage and grace to recognize this time in our history as the national equivalent! We must begin anew!

 

Foreign Views


 

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