Blog - Fort Report: America Reconsidered

Statement

If I had to choose two words to describe the prevailing mood in Washington, they would be curiosity and urgency. Curiosity as to how this moment translates--and urgency, not to waste it. Even though the election was a proxy for many open and deep philosophical divides in the country, now, following a period of economic stagnation and social fragmentation, our nation is entering a time of profound reconsideration.

With the transition of presidential administrations underway, many are wondering what might be the final form of a new governing structure, bringing with it the possibility of great change. The transformation is in the earliest stage of determination. Although the campaign cycle in many ways exhausted America, I believe last week set the right tone. Donald Trump said we must come together as a nation and that he hopes to be President for all Americans. President Obama highlighted how after his first election President George W. Bush was extraordinarily helpful to him, and he promised to be helpful in similar fashion to President-Elect Trump. Hillary Clinton, in a magnanimous concession speech, detailed the pain of her loss, but she also said Americans owe Trump an open mind and that we must unify.

We may take it for granted, but last week demonstrated the brilliance of how our democracy provides for a peaceful transition of power. In spite of some isolated protests, we witnessed the ongoing resiliency of America's governing traditions. In Congress, a great deal of ideological rigidity has been vaporized. Conversations among fellow Republicans and Democrats are yielding a sense of new horizons, which, if properly considered, will shape a meaningful approach to the next White House.

First, Washington is readying to correct regulatory overreach that has constrained the ability of small businesses to flourish. For far too long, Washington has distorted markets and, most importantly, the imagination of people to find better solutions for their neighbors. Government must play its role, but with constraints on its tendency to seize more power.

Second, America's foreign policy, oscillating between passivity and ad hoc interventionism, must shift toward a principled realism that better builds authentic friendships and sustains safety.

Third, our nation's economy is likely to adopt a more inclusive model. Power that has been concentrated in Washington and Wall Street has left millions of Americans feeling left behind at the margins of what many regard as a corrupt and elitist world. New trade and tax policies will aim to restore decimated manufacturing sectors--returning jobs, dignity, and social cohesion to large swaths of the nation. We saw a hint of this today: Ford announced it would keep a plant in America. Apple's hinting the same.

Fourth, our immigration system is stretched. Laws that have not been enforced have led to chaos and dislocation, testing the natural generosity of Americans. Righting the legal system, stopping unscrupulous employers, and holding those who break the law to account are the start of restoring a humane and fair immigration policy.

Even more is coming: from reimagining health care to infrastructure reform.

Have you ever watched a concrete truck at work? The rotating mixer churns and the gray content runs down the chute, plopping onto the ground. The mass of wet materials has to be quickly molded into forms to create the right structure, hardened into concrete ideas. That's where we are.

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