Time is kind and unkind to the legacies of American Presidents. Washington and Lincoln will forever tower above all the rest. Washington truly is the Father of our Country, embodying all the aspirations and virtues of a new nation. Lincoln was the liberator of millions and the Preserver of the Union.
Humility, Please
As President Obama begins his second term, we celebrate the peaceful transitions of power that make the USA the most stable expression of representative government in history. Even in our most contested elections, no militias have seized power and no parties have outlawed dissent and no dictators have risen to eradicate our experiment in self-governance and shared power.
A New Day of Integration
Israel: A Gift to the World
A traveler from outer space visiting the newsrooms of The EU, UN and USA the past few years might conclude that Israel is the world’s greatest threat to human rights and world peace. Visits to most public college campuses would confirm that this little land is a center of fascism and racism, determined to exterminate impoverished Palestinians. As our extraterrestrial explorer tunes in to Al-Jezeera, images of innocents killed by Israeli missiles fill the screen, and jihadist cries of “Death to the Jews!” accost the ears. With no other images or narratives, our E.T. concludes that Israel needs containing and perhaps oversight by a more benevolent nation that will consider the plight of refugees in the “occupied territories” of the West Bank.
The Road Ahead
Our next Administration faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Reversing more than half a century of ballooning indebtedness and bloated bureaucracy will be daunting. Transforming health care and retirement plans so they are stable and sustainable will require courage and sacrifice heretofore unknown among politicians. Restoring our global influence and leading the resistance to intolerance and totalitarianism will demand humility, wisdom and moral and military strength. Advocating for life from conception to coronation and affirming compassion for the broken, poor and vulnerable will summon our best character and competencies. Standing with Israel while engaging in honest dialogue with Muslim leaders calls for Solomonic discernment.