2010: Resolutions for America

Harold Sare

Many of us set forth individual resolutions for the New Year. Sometimes I do. But, I thought it would be a challenge to ponder what we as a country should strive for during 2010.

I have been reading about some failed states - countries. Their leaders need to really think about the future and plan how they can get their states back on track.

Religion and ideology, among other forces, often hopelessly divide them.

The United States has gone through many stressful years during its history - and has generally risen to the challenges of a great nation, but not without a bloody civil war and other conflicts.

This past year has been one of stress, ideological conflict and right-down mean politics, including the use of lies - e.g. a charge of the use of death panels for senior citizens by a North Carolina congresswoman and an Iowa senator.

One senator from South Carolina, often quoted, asserted that health care would be President Obama's Waterloo.

That statement suggests an effort to cause the U.S. president to fail and implies actions to cause our government to fail!

Another senator - from Oklahoma - flew to Denmark to challenge our president in a climate-change conference. He failed. Yet another congressman called the president a liar during the president's State of the Union speech before both houses of Congress. He later apologized.

There are many ideological divisions. These and other examples that could be quoted suggest immature and unstable politics. Certainly, we need a more pragmatic and unified approach to our many critical issues.

Recent publicity has revealed a secret organization called The Family that has been housed on C Street in Washington D.C. This group is described in Jeff Sharlet's book, The Family, as an elite fundamentalist group “bent not on salvation for all but on the cultivation of … powerful, key men chosen by God to direct the affairs of the nation” in an effort to “manipulate the politics of the rest of the world.”

Several U.S. senators and House members, other politically powerful Americans and people from other countries belong to this secret group.

Our two Oklahoma senators and one former Oklahoma congressman are reported to belong.

The Family is alarming to me because of its secrecy, assumed purpose, processes and its basis for membership.

It has some characteristics of a totalitarian underground movement, working under an assumed absolute truth to dominate the world.

Failed states of the past have generated similar processes and goals. Examples include Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and Communist China.

Such a system is anathema to democracy and the U.S. political culture.

Given the somewhat contentious news today, the following New Year's Resolutions seem appropriate.

1. Resolved, that our elected officials and informal political leaders approach problems in the context of reality and bring forth pragmatic solutions. Ideology, a form of emotional political religion, causes confusion and generates hatred, incompatibilities, and often results in ineffective solutions to serious problems.

Political objectives of great leaders should be to resolve real problems. It does not mean there should be no differences. Differences are to be expected and serve an actual constitutional function; but they should focus on real concerns and true basic differences in fundamental values, and not primarily on power grabbing.

Recent discussions of health care, recession and other legislative issues provide numerous examples of failure in honest debate. Both Republicans and Democrats are guilty and need to take heed.

2. Resolved, that since we live in a world with modern and rapid communication and travel and possess an economy that primarily is national, our leaders must realize that federalism as a factor in our political system requires adjustment to these realities.

Our national government must play a larger role in our economy, education, and defense. Article X of the U.S Constitutional Amendments, reserved powers to states, is still viable, but it cannot sustain a political order similar to the 19th and 20th centuries.

3. Resolved, that both citizens and leaders acknowledge that defense in the world today requires a much more complex strategy than in the 20th Century, and we must realistically build a defense force that can cope with the real problems of terrorism without exhausting the few service people who volunteer for military service.

We can expect terrorism to be a long-term problem that has to be dealt with pragmatically and with effective policies. The whole nation must be involved in the solutions, not just a few who volunteer. The Iraq and Afghan wars have eminently demonstrated this inequity.

4. Resolved, that U.S. foreign policy be given considerably more attention, including the employment of people who are well-educated in many cultures, religions, languages and foreign problems and issues.

The United States, with its allies, must be active in resolving conflicts, assisting underdeveloped states and building international programs that will promote peace and prosperity in the world community.

The Muslim world of 1.3 billion people must be dealt with knowledgeably and with great care. Diplomacy is a very demanding requirement.

5. Resolved, that the United States rebuild its private-enterprise economic system with advanced technologies, a new foundation of fuels and energy, a regulatory system that avoids unreasonable concentration of wealth in a small minority, and promote prosperity and well-being for all working citizens.

It must be recognized that a modern economy is complex and requires a viable, limited, but effective and respected government.

The argument that government is ineffective and grasping is no more a reality than similar activities in large corporations. The human condition of greed and ambition requires essential regulation and viable institutions for maintaining balance and resolving normal conflicts.

6. Resolved, that our educational institutions become more relevant to meeting the challenges and requirements of the 21st century.

They must enable individuals to reach the highest levels achievable in science, math, engineering, the arts, history, other important educational disciplines, and the knowledge and understanding of constitutional and democratic government. Appropriate technical education is essential for those who do not attend colleges and universities.

Weaknesses in all of these educational areas are evident and must be challenged.

7. Resolved, that we as a society take steps to strengthen our basic values of human life, and the dignity and well-being of all people regardless of race, religion, creed or human condition.

We as Americans should give thought to how we can contribute to both community and country during this coming year.

Let's continue to be a vital nation and search for reasonable, realistic and humanistic approaches rooted in our humble but stalwart constitutional democratic culture, and work toward being open and responsive in our political order.

We have much to be thankful for and much to offer to a troubled world.

Harold Sare is a regents service professor, emeritus, political science, at Oklahoma State University.