Greg’s Corner June 2006
What’s Wrong with America’s Dialogue? The Three Ds
By Greg Petty
While watching a popular television show regarding America and our leaders – the White House and its interactions with Congress, I was struck by how realistic the show really was.
There is the President concerned about crime in a county near Washington D.C. and the grandstanding Senator who finally attaches his name to a crime bill and his “career” is tied to its passage. When the President intervenes to inquire about efforts on the state and county level to solve violent crimes, the Senator’s get tough bill rating begins to lose popular support. The President has vowed to veto the bill.
The interplay between these two individuals, their aides, the political reasoning and motivations, the press and the reality of the unrest in the community really struck a chord with my discontent about the state of our current American dialog. It was only too real even though the roles of the protagonist and the antagonist were reversed from the reality of today’s current political situation.
What we have lost is the ability for those with distinctly opposite viewpoints, regardless of their station in life–rich, poor or in the middle–to sit down and have a spirited discussion about vital political and social matters that concern us.
What are the maxims our parents taught us? Do not discuss religion or politics. I posit we have to discuss both as they are at the core of the social issues swirling around us. But how do we go about it?
One of the strengths of our society lies in our ability to read, educate ourselves, form an opinion, and then test the validity of our convictions. The facts we can muster to support our statements must be presented in a civil and intelligent manner. The discussion cannot be so rabid that you illicit no response from your listeners.
The press has done more than any other institution to polarize us. Few radio and television talk shows, on a daily basis, show zero interest in providing a forum for true, balanced discussions of complicated social, political and economic issues. It amazes me that we have become “red” and “blue” states instead of states with no color because citizens do not carry on informed debates about issues that really matter. What is happening to one’s pocket book and the nation’s political vitality? What is happening to the average citizen’s long-term economic security and what America should stand for and take action on in our now interdependent world?
We have lost our way in our political discourse. How do we accomplish the three “D’s” – Debate, Decide and Develop national consensus about vital issues such as security for all, healthcare, education and care for the global environment? How we can we free our nation from our addiction to carbon fuels and the warping of our whole national foreign policy and politics because of our reliance on oil?
So with all that said, here are some personal guidelines I hope will be valuable for all of us to observe regarding the three D’s.
The first thing we have to do to enlist our friends, family and fellow citizens in debate and for each of us to be better listeners.
Rule #1 – Be an active listener. Make mental notes of your friends’ strongest points for or against any particular topic. James Carville, like him or not, takes notes as his debate partner speaks. You pay the speaker no higher compliment when you take notes. He or she knows you are really listening. This is the hardest rule…you actually have to shut up and listen!
Rule #2 – When it is your turn to speak, present your facts and major points in a succinct manner. There is no faster way to lose your audience than to drone on or belabor the same point. The speaker who preceded Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, long since forgotten, spoke for over an hour. One of the greatest speeches of all time was over in less than ten minutes. The speech was missed by most of the assembled crowd because they were milling around after the previous “windbag” finally finished his thoughts.
If we all practice Rules 1 and 2, making decisions about the best possible courses of action should be an easier task. Our modern world provides us internet blogs, Wikipedia, access to the Library of Congress, the world’s great libraries, podcasts and traditional media outlets. It is easier than ever to research and then espouse the decisions about which we are most passionate.
Rule #3 – Keep an open mind. Your ideas could be misinformed or just plain wrong! I know it’s hard to admit but many people possess more knowledge than either you or I. Use their knowledge to strengthen or alter your own opinion.
With all of the means mentioned above, communicating our ideas, having a national dialog and developing national consensus solutions should not be difficult. We must begin to have vigorous debates amongst ourselves. Perhaps we should bring back the salons of days past where ideas and philosophies are debated in a facilitator’s home.
We are allowing the traditional media and politicians to present their determined “issues” and their viewpoints which in turn define the debate. We need to change the debate because in many cases the debates we are exposed to are not the debates the Americans wish to have. Contrary to the media presentations, America is not divided into clearly defined “Blue” and “Red” states.
Rule #4 – Take the national discussion out of the hands of the media (are you listening, politicians?) and into our own control. Welcome to the age of podcasts, blogs and electronic democracy.
Rule #5 – Americans need to send this message now – WARNING! REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS - YOUR PARTY COULD BECOME OBSOLETE.
Both parties would be well served by rediscovering and focusing on the issues and solutions the majority of Americans truly care about – Education and not Gay Marriage, Energy independence and not tax breaks for Big Oil, National security and not Dubai Port deals, a balanced budget and not more tax breaks in addition to rejoining the global environmental community. Our representatives must behave ethically and responsibly. As H. Ross Perot once stated, “Get my meaning?”
We already possess the means TO CHANGE THE PROCESS OF OUR DEMOCRACY. As politicians and media outlets continue to obfuscate rather than enlighten, we should be gathering the political will to have an entirely electronic democracy. We’ll just remove the middlemen (hear this Congress) and implement the three D’s.
Debate