Hope and Love in 2-0-1-0

there is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America -- there’s the United States of America.

--Barack Obama, 2004

Good rhetoric, Mr. President. The time has come to practice what you preach. Listen to the other side. Put in place some of their best ideas. America cries out for such leadership.

For those of us who haven’t enjoyed what’s come out of the White House over the past year, it’s time for us to listen and to acknowledge that they too have some good ideas. Strive for a country that combines the best of both sides.

We might begin with three points, the last two coming in part from Bob McDonnell, the governor-elect of Virginia:

1. Help the other guys with their tough, but correct, battles. George W. Bush received little Democratic support with two big efforts he undertook on behalf of the nation. One was to reform Social Security, which will go bankrupt around 2040. The other was to go after Islamic extremism when Al Qaeda and Iran-backed Shia militias emerged as terrorism-based fighting forces determined to kill Americans in Iraq.

It’s true; Democrats failed to help then. Now the Democrats are in power, and conservatives should show how a party acts in the national, not partisan, interest. Support Democratic efforts to reform Social Security and Medicare (Medicare may otherwise be bankrupt in 7 years), and help Democrats battle Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere. Especially, don’t demagogue Democrats on Social Security and Medicare. Democrats in turn should listen to Republican ideas on each of these tough issues. One America, working together.

2. Operate a leaner, more effective government, one that incorporates the best ideas from the far more competitive private sector. Run government like a business. Because of foreign competition, business has learned over the past two decades how to run lean and mean operations. Government, lacking any pressure to compete, remains limited by its political goal never to make a mistake, since the main thing government fears is doing something wrong. Government suffers for its errors of commission, never for doing nothing. This must change. Government failing to model itself on business means continued government marked by inefficiency and waste.

Democrats, the party of government, need somehow to realize that if they don’t learn how to make government work, they will lose. Republicans nevertheless should help Democrats realize their only path to retaining power is ruling effectively. Republicans must resist the temptation to help Democrats fail. Instead, help them out. One America, working together.

3. Improve public education. Democrats are led by the products of a two-tier education system that helps a privileged minority (them) and does little for the vast majority condemned to union-dominated public schools. Democrats should be red-faced ashamed of what they are doing to America’s future, in the name of protecting unions. Thus far, Republicans have failed to push education reform to the top of the national agenda, though Bush 43 briefly tried with “no child left behind.” The time has come for Republicans to make such an issue out of our failed public schools that Democrats have no choice but to respond.

You see, Democrats know better. They know they benefited from superior education. They know that union control over poor public schools is ruining America’s future. It’s past time for Democrats and Republicans, working together, to put children first, above unionized teachers. One America, working together.