Yesterday, we noted that the United States has made some progress toward re-establishing independence, but it has also regressed in some areas. Today, we’ll share additional ideas.
Bring back civility. For as long as there have been two parties, there has been an “us vs. them” mentality, but it has never been this bad. Today, some politicians are more accepting of dictators and demagogues than they are of members of the opposing party.
Those on the left can cite President Trump’s sometimes embarrassing tweets. Those on the right can cite Maxine Waters, Elizabeth Warren and others who refer to conservatives as Nazis (even though the Nazis were socialists).
We need to respect the opinions of others.
Politicians should be working together for the good of America, not against each other for the perceived benefit to their party.
Learn to compromise. Members of Congress are increasingly voting for major legislation along party lines. The Affordable Care Act became law without a single Republican voting for it, while the vote for tax reform that passed at the end of last year was also along party lines.
In contrast, when tax reform last passed Congress in 1982, it was the result of compromise between Republican President Reagan and Congressman Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill, the Democratic Speaker of the House.
Let the President be President. Democrats have been particularly stubborn about accepting the electoral mandate of a Trump presidency, just as they were when George W. Bush defeated Al Gore. As part of the “resistance,” they have been holding up key appointments of people needed to run our government.
As The Wall Street Journal reported, “Through June 21, Trump nominees have taken an average of 87 days to confirm, according to the Partnership for Public Service. Obama appointees had to wait an average of 67 days. Among 670 ‘key executive branch’ positions — agency heads, ambassadors and other leadership roles — 147 Trump nominees are still awaiting Senate action.
“This is largely because as of June 5 Mr. Trump’s nominees had faced 101 cloture votes. In the first two years of every administration going back to Jimmy Carter, there were only 24 such votes for judicial and executive nominees. Mr. Obama’s nominees faced only a dozen cloture votes in his first two years.”
Keep Markets Free. As we’ve noted in the past, the U.S. has less economic freedom than many countries that are considered socialist countries.
We’ve cited the Index for Economic Freedom, which is based on:
- Rule of Law.Property rights, government integrity and judicial effectiveness.
- Regulatory Efficiency.Business freedom, labor freedom and monetary freedom.
- Government Size.Government spending, tax burden and fiscal health.
- Open Markets.Trade freedom, investment freedom and financial freedom.
Tax reform and deregulation are improving economic freedom, but we’re concerned that tariffs and the failure to negotiate new, fairer trade agreements will make the U.S. economy less free.
Tariffs on imported goods are a tax. While the United States needs to stand up to China and other countries that practice unfair trade, tariffs that help one industry at the expense of another are crony capitalism.
Keep Speech Free. You may disagree with this post or yesterday’s post. This being America, I should be entitled to my opinion and you should be entitled to yours.
We need to be accepting of others’ views if we expect them to be accepting of our views.