I first moved to Washington nearly 25 years ago. After many years of engaging in national and state politics both as a businessman and as chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party, I was privileged to serve as chief of staff to my friend and fellow Arkansan President Bill Clinton. Like all new administrations, we had our policy priorities and political goals, but no less important, we brought with us the belief that Washington could reflect the best of our shared hometown of Hope, and of communities like it around our diverse country.
The sense of shared effort and common purpose we aspired to bring to our nation's capital had nothing to do with elections or political parties. Rather, we believed we could work across party lines to strike principled compromise, just as Republican presidents such as Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush had done before us.
In some ways--and I say this with great sadness--that aspiration now seems like the product of a bygone age. Common purpose has never been harder to find in Washington. What was once congressional gridlock has become complete and utter dysfunction, and all of us are paying a price.
Americans know this. As poll after poll makes clear, we want our leaders to work together and for Washington to reflect the best of our country. But instead, it appears that the worst of Washington--divisiveness, partisanship, and short-sightedness--is trickling out into America as a whole.
We were tragically reminded of this by recent events in Charlottesville. The leaders from both parties who swiftly condemned racism, violence, and white supremacist ideology are to be commended. Yet our politicians' actions, or inactions, before the tragedy leave much to be desired. In the absence of real leadership--at a moment when our elected representatives fail to articulate any real vision to move the country forward and improve people's lives--is it any wonder that some of America's darkest and most hateful voices seek to fill the void?
Other consequences of division and dysfunction are less heartbreaking but no less real. On issues such as education, health care, and infrastructure, state and local elected officials continue to compromise for the sake of the people they serve. Most mayors, governors, and local legislators cannot afford to view politics purely as an ideological abstraction. They believe working together is essential, and their approval ratings, far higher than those of Washington lawmakers, are strong evidence that voters agree. Yet even the most dedicated local officials find their best efforts hamstrung by a Congress that remains unable to pass basic legislation, and a White House that has so far been unable to deliver results.
There is plenty of blame to go around, but the simple fact is that too many politicians are not doing their jobs they were hired for. Washington dysfunction is harming all of us. And not only here at home. The world is changing more rapidly than ever, and other countries are ready and eager to seize their place in it. China's rise continues at breakneck speed. Germany regularly out-competes us.
For now, business leaders are doing their best to bypass Washington, growing and adapting without the certainty only a functioning government can provide. But sooner or later, as the old saying goes, we will hang together or hang separately. If Washington cannot govern--if our leaders continue to divide rather than unite us--we will not be able to indefinitely out-compete the rest of the world.
So what is to be done? I do not naively hold out hope for some sort of kumbaya moment. I do not suggest that it is likely, or even possible, for our current Congress to put politics aside in service of some great and worthy project on Americans' behalf. Nor should we assume that government can single-handedly rebuild--or replace--the sense of community that has always been among America's greatest strengths.
But that doesn't mean we are helpless. There are steps we can take together, right now, to ensure that the tremendous goodness and decency in our country is reflected in Washington once again.
• We must recognize that political compromise depends on personal relationships. Members of Congress are far more likely to make deals and seek out common ground with peers they like, trust, and respect. That is why our current political climate is so harmful. When elected officials are rewarded for hurling insults on Twitter and demonizing the opposition on cable news, we encourage our leaders to become less reasonable. Parties and individual lawmakers will often have real, serious areas of disagreement. But we should highlight and support those--such as the members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus led by Republican Rep. Tom Reed of New York and Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey--who seek to look past their differences for the sake of pragmatic compromise.
• We must do more to include all Americans in the American dream. In this country, success is not guaranteed, but we do believe every young person should be given the opportunity to succeed. Other countries, such as Germany, have implemented apprenticeship programs to provide that opportunity to ensure that more of their citizens can learn a trade, work hard, and get ahead. We should follow their example. Businesses large and small, perhaps motivated by tax incentives, would surely be eager to help grow their pool of skilled workers while benefiting the states and cities they call home.
• We should consider creating some form of national service program, one which would bring young people of different regions, backgrounds, and political perspectives together to improve their communities. Many leaders have advocated this, including Generals Stanley McChrystal and David Petraeus. Imagine if the leaders of tomorrow built lifelong relationships and shared a common experience of contributing to their country in a way that had nothing to do with politics. From the armed forces to the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps, we have often seen the power of service to forge a lifetime sense of patriotism and camaraderie while promoting our shared values. It is time to harness that power once again.
• Finally, our political leaders, beginning with our president, need to spend less time campaigning and more time governing. President Trump ran for office pledging to bring much-needed change to Washington. But where constructive change was promised, destructive change has occurred instead. Perhaps most damaging is the impression, reinforced by both the president's words and actions, that he feels responsible only to the 46 percent of Americans who voted for him. Like both Republican and Democratic presidents before him, President Trump must make clear he intends to do his job on behalf of 100 percent of the public, and Congress should join him. The Trump presidency will be far more successful if every American is included in their vision for our future, and so will the country as a whole.
The early years of this century have brought demographic, technological, and cultural change at a speed never before witnessed. Perhaps it is no wonder, then, that unity is so difficult to come by.
Yet I continue to believe, as I did 25 years ago, that Washington can be the kind of place animated by respect, compromise, and common decency. These are the elements of community that still thrive throughout America. They are the building blocks of our nation's success. And if we work together, they can be part of our politics and our national life once again.
Mack McLarty is chairman of McLarty Associates and The McLarty Companies. He previously served as Chief of Staff and Special Envoy to the Americas under President Bill Clinton.
Editorial on 08/20/2017