On December 5th World War II veteran, former state legislator, congressman, senator vice-presidential, and presidential candidate Bob Dole died from lung cancer at the age of 98. Only two weeks before he passed away, he wrote a final column in USA Today urging more bi-partisan collaboration. Apparently, at the age of 98, he still had all his marbles!
I never felt a wild enthusiasm for Bob Dole, but his call for dialogue, less heated rhetoric, and finding common ground are necessary today if we are to survive as a republic. In his final op-ed he wrote:
“. . . teamwork is needed in Washington now more than ever. During my years in
Congress, Democrats and Republicans were political combatants, but we were
also friends. I learned that it is difficult to get anything done unless you can
compromise—not your principles, but your willingness to see the other side.
Those who suggest that compromise is a sign of weakness misunderstand
the fundamental strength of our democracy.”
Today, however, all sides remain so far apart that compromise may mean sacrificing principles. Frankly, the Judeo-Christian principles upon which this country was founded are under assault. While the classical American conservative versus liberal debate raged on for decades the common reference points of morality, work ethic, and national pride kept us together.
Conservatives believed in limited government, low taxes, free markets, and self-reliance. Liberals believed in fair labor standards, social safety nets, and a government that ensured equality. Both sides believed in public education, a strong national defense, and free speech.
So what happened? Part of the moral Catholic core of the Democrat Party left and some of them became Republicans. Some traditional Democrat union members did not like the more radical elements of their party and they left as well. The angry Left that wants to fundamentally transform America took control. Angry conservatives do not want to be transformed! The Left wants identity re-assignment surgery on the nation’s psyche and the Right says, “Over my dead body!”
In his final column Dole wrote, “Meaningful change comes to the country when everyone puts aside their party label and works for the good of the country.”
I feel the national mood has shifted away from angry rhetoric. People want results, not sound bites. They don’t want their time-honored values trashed. Most people love their country and respect people different from themselves.
If we are going to move forward as a state and a nation we have to figure out those things on which we can agree and move from there. Of course, that is easier said than done because we have lost a common frame of reference. To be blunt about it, secular societies are sick societies. We have people wandering around in their lives trying to find meaning. When they can’t find it, they do stupid things . . . like shoot people, or engage in self-inflicted harm like drug use. America needs to re-discover its moral core in order to build a national cohesiveness conducive to the art of compromise.