So, last night, the candidates were asked, interestingly I thought, “What do you think the basic role of the government is in our society?”
Botching this opportunity, I thought, everyone but Ross used their answer to expand upon their usual campaign themes. Patrick, in particular, resorted to some of the most wishy-washy parts of his stump speech saying (in full – 111 words):
Leaving aside for a moment the errors in facts from my friend Christy, I think government is about helping us help ourselves. I don’t think government is there to solve every problem in everybody’s life. I think personal responsibility is absolutely key. But there’s a place alongside personal responsibility for shared responsibility. And there are things we talk about, we talk about how, you know, taxes are your money, and that is right. But it’s also your broken roads and your overcrowded schools, and your broken neighborhoods and neighbors. And it seems to me it’s time for us to take responsibility for that. That is what government is about, I believe.
Personally, I would have loved to see Deval say something like this (129 words):
Thank-you for such a big question here at the end of a campaign that has too often been about small ideas, fear and negativity. Many of my Republican friends seem to think government should simply cuts taxes for the wealthy and let the free market solve all. I worked for many years in business and I understand the essential role it plays. But I am also a proud Democrat who believes government at its best offers equal opportunity and the tools people need to solve their own problems. Government should also guarantee public safety, protect our environment, and strengthen our economy while staying out of our bedrooms and respecting our individual freedoms. Ultimately, our government must do no more but also no less than the people it represents deserve.
But what about the rest of you? Am I just a dreamer to be thinking this is the most important question in politics? Anyone else got a better 100-150 word answer?
Deval said: “I think government is about helping us help ourselves.” You say he should have said: “government at its best offers equal opportunity and the tools people need to solve their own problems.”
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Am I missing something?
My comment was limited to 130 words, in the spirit of the debate format. The topic deserves much more discussion.
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Indeed, I tried to make my answer similar to Deval’s stump speech answer (it’s what I hoped he would say rather than what I would say) but I also hoped to expand upon that answer with some more meaningful language.
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My basic point is that I am tired of campaigns/politicians (particuarly Democrat’s campaigns) that lack – or are at least scared to – present a vision of government that inspires. Deval tries half-heartedly (with the broken, broken, broken refrain) but it comes off as the same old, same old.
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I think it is helpful to consistently compare and contrast the Democrat position with the Republican view of government. I also think it’s very important to not be defensive or apologetic about “big government.” I also think it is necessary to inspire people about what government can do “for” them as oppossed to focusing on what government does “to” them.
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I don’t think Deval (or anyone last night) did that, so I tried to express my version that in a hastily-drafted 130-word answer. I guess that didn’t work.
And here’s what I found quickly from Cokie Roberts herself on “the role of government” in a recent commencment speech:
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Inspiring?