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 Enough
by Tom Campbell
March 25, 2010
Am I alone in worrying about the future of this state and this country? Watching the continuing health reform drama is frightening. Republicans dug in their heels and refused to participate, anticipating political gains in mid-term elections. Democrats were willing to cut most any deal to get a bill passed. Now Republicans promise to block any action in Congress until after new delegates are seated.
Things aren’t much better in the Old North State. In Raleigh, opponents of school busing and frequent student reassignments won enough seats last fall to take control of Wake County Schools. Forgetting what brought about their victory, a school board that wasn’t responsive and willing to listen to them; this new Republican majority promptly adopted massive changes without sufficient input or deliberation. Those favoring the old ways, largely Democrats, responded by beating on walls, threatening board members and digging in their heels against change, promising to fight the new board every step of the way in the next nine to fifteen months.
These are not singular instances. Both political parties have gone beyond loyal opposition or healthy ideological disagreement. Instead, self-interest, fear and anger drive the debate. When your primary strategy is digging in your heels in opposition you only end up in a hole, which is where we now find ourselves. The trouble is we keep digging.
Larry Diamond, democracy expert from Stanford University, is quoted by columnist Tom Friedman saying, "If you don't get governance right, it is very hard to get anything else right that government needs to deal with. We have to rethink in some basic ways how our political institutions work, because they are increasingly incapable of delivering effective solutions any longer.”
We got here because being a Democrat or a Republican was more important than being a citizen. Catering to special interests was more important than the common good. Extremists have hijacked both parties and have largely driven away those seeking the higher ground, usually the moderate centrists. These are not times for stalemate, partisanship, fear-mongering or unrestrained anger. North Carolina especially needs our best minds and our best voice to respond to our very serious challenges.
Three changes in North Carolina law move us ahead. First, our state must make it easier for independent candidates to gain ballot access. You can’t win if you can’t get on the ballot. The next step is to adopt the Australian “alternative voting” system, whereby you cast your vote for your first choice, regardless of party, then indicate your number two choice. In addition to eliminating costly runoff elections, this move levels the playing field for Independents. Otherwise Democrats won’t “waste” their vote on an Independent, fearing it might even elect the Republican, or vice versa.
The third, and most important action, is to remove the redistricting process from our legislators and, as California recently did, give an independent panel the authority to draw competitive electoral districts instead of providing “safe” seats for one party or another. These good government issues will pay huge dividends and move North Carolina forward.
North Carolina’s future, like that of the nation, cannot afford continued stagnation, strong-arm power plays or “just say no” refusals to participate in decision making We need statesmen, not politicians, but more importantly, we need citizens to say “Enough.” |
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