Blog
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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. -
Lessons from Snowmageddon
I was stuck
in my 43-degree house for days after the power
and heat got cut off during our recent snow
storm. It’s been a cold and dark house; and
all time seemed to stop. But there’s been
some light. Indeed, sitting with layers of
blankets draped around me, I’ve had lots of
time to think. Oh, the lessons from Snowmageddon.
1. Did you hear the uplifting stories about Drew Brees, the New Orleans Saints quarterback? He’s the real deal, a real leader. He’s not just a football player or budding celebrity. In listening to people in New Orleans talk about him, he is an example of someone who deeply knows his community, acts with affection, and stays connected even when the cameras aren’t rolling. He has found a way to keep his balance even as he has transcended sports, celebrity and public life. He’s a good role model.
2. Then, there’s Sarah Palin. I listened to her speech to the Tea Party convention on my battery-operated radio, in the dark, and have since seen various news reports. Did you know she had scribbled answers to a pre-determined question on her hand? Then, once on stage, she peaked at them to give her response. Remember, I urged everyone to read her book, Going Rogue, and I stand by that. We need to see and hear each other. But, let me just say that I doubt President Obama had answers written on his hand when he engaged House Republicans.
3. I watched from my bedroom window as my next door neighbor retrieved an elderly neighbor who lives across the street, and who was also without power, and led her through the blizzard into her basement which was heated by a wood stove. I then watched as another set of neighbors with a seven-month old baby made their way into their home. Opening their home was a simple act of loving kindness; and it was a powerful one to watch unfold in real time. It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity of politics and society. But there is still innate goodness in people.
4. Sitting in my family room, half frozen, I found myself wondering what I would do if I didn’t have my current job. It was an easy question to think about given the imposed silence surrounding me. One answer is that I’d really like to work with adolescent kids who need a leg up in life, helping to cultivate their confidence and belief in themselves. But what I also know is that, for now, I want to keep my current job; more than at any other time since I began this work, we as a society need to turn toward one another and build our capacity for a better society. This is what I want to do.
5. It really is true that a man’s (person’s) best friend is their dog. I came down stairs early this morning and my black lab, Rosie, was nowhere to be seen or heard. My wife and I had put her and our cat in the kennel yesterday; they had been shivering from days without heat. My kids often tease me about what I’ll do when Rose is no longer here. My answer is clear: I’ll miss her.
I’ll be back to my normal postings in the coming weeks, but I thought I’d pass along these lessons from Snowmageddon. I hope you are well and warm and safe. -
5 Ways to Mobilize America
Amid all the
calls for economic and policy packages in
Washington, it’s time to mobilize Americans
to rebuild their communities. Let’s not
delay. But let’s also be smart. Because the
truth is, we’ll need more than ordinary
volunteer programs to make hope real. We must
take a different path. Here are 5 keys.
I spent much of January in Michigan. Discussions about the state and other hard-hit communities are usually framed as though these places are nothing more than “job sites” – mere locales for economic development. We often assume that most people want to flee these communities. But, in Detroit, Battle Creek, and Greater Lansing, people tell us they want to stay in their hometowns. When asked about what changes need to occur, they consistently express the desire to create safe, connected, and caring communities. Of course, people want jobs. But let’s be clear: people want to rebuild their communities, not simply create a job site.
The good news is people are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work. We must tap into this energy and spirit as it can launch us forward. But this must be a common effort – not simply more programs imposed on communities from the outside. To mobilize America, we must bring people together with a clear purpose and path forward.1. Turn outward toward the community – the very first step for anyone interested in mobilizing America is to turn outward toward our communities. Too many volunteer, civic engagement and other well-intentioned community efforts are done with an organization-first approach – a narrow view that often starts and ends with fulfilling one’s own programmatic goals, strategic plans, and metrics for community involvement. To have a fighting chance for success, we must make the community the reference point, not our individual programs.
2. Focus on people’s shared aspirations – not the community’s problems – people feel the full weight of their individual and community “problems.”And yet, when asked about their aspirations, they are quick to offer an alternate view of what can be. These aspirations don’t arise through “visioning” exercises and happy talk. People must come together to define their shared aspirations, for only then can we find points of common action. Our shared aspirations are the starting point for mobilizing America.
3. Get people doing actual work together – people don’t simply want to volunteer for an hour here and there. Instead, they’re yearning for the opportunity to build deep and lasting relationships and be part of something larger – indeed, to address the sense of connection and caring that has been weakened or severed as they’ve hunkered down to ride out the storm. Thus, more “plug-and-play” volunteer programs won’t do the trick this time; people want to roll-up their sleeves and work together – and over time. They want to do something real.
4. Move in a common direction – too often volunteer and community efforts are based on episodic, ad hoc activities where the emphasis is on making the individual volunteer “feel good.” The focus is often scattered, all too often not directed at the public good, and as a result yield limited impact. Simply calling on people to volunteer will not help people rebuild their communities. We must create, together, in individual communities and across the country, a common sense of direction to guide what we do, and to make sure what we’re doing add up to something real.
5. Tell stories of self-trust and hope – in many communities, the common narrative is one of decline, diminished hopes, even defeat. And yet, as positive actions occur, we can combat this ingrained narrative. But we must be careful. More business-as-usual storytelling – hyped public relations and cutesy vignettes – will only dampen people’s spirits. While those stories “seem” real – people know better – and feel their reality is being manipulated. Instead, we must tell authentic stories of change, ones that reflect our trials and errors, successes and failures, and lessons learned. Let’s call them civic parables. These stories, when real, help us restore our faith in one another and in our individual and collective ability to build stronger communities.
There is enormous potential to mobilize Americans today to rebuild our communities. The truth is people don’t need to wait for Washington to get going. In fact, the real energy and spirit lives in our communities. So, let’s start now. Let’s mobilize people. Let’s rebuild America.