Is America Governable?
Opponents of President Trump look to the end of his presidency with great relief. Their celebration is premature. “Trumpism” will not end.
America remains deeply divided. “Trumpism” will be a force regardless of whether he runs again. Supporters consider him “a president in exile,” illegally denied a second term. Many will see his loss as did much of Germany after its World War I defeat, when they claimed their army was stabbed in the back. Erstwhile backers like Fox News are accused of deserting him. Other betrayers include the mainstream media, Facebook, Twitter, numerous Republican election officials, RINOs (Republicans in Name Only), judges at all levels, and the “deep state.”
Democrats may too easily forget what made Trump president. They see him as only a cult leader, yet his rise was fueled by fears and grievances that remain. He became a channel for anger at immigration, changing American demographics, rural and Rust Belt poverty, the human toll of globalization and technological change, perceived threats to religion, a belief in an overbearing government and the alleged growth of “socialism.”
Trump’s manipulation of Americans’ fears gave voice to those who are angry or feel silenced. With Trump no longer president, that discontent will not disappear. Trump may be the vehicle but if not others will rise to do so. There are many “Trumps” in waiting.
With nearly half of voters opposed to a Biden presidency, is America governable? Trump encouraged defiance of state and local governments while president. He may now encourage defiance of the federal government. It’s not unlikely he will use Tweets, rallies and the fear of destroying the career of Republicans to demand fealty and opposition to Biden. Significant federal legislation may be nearly impossible to pass, difficult to implement and unenforceable if resisted.
Given this, what can a President Biden do?
He must strive, despite the vitriol he’ll face, to lower the emotions in American discourse. This will require calm, reason and empathy for those who did not support him as well as with those who did. Facing anger with forbearance may reshape how at least some view him.
He must also work to rebuild Americans’ trust in each other. For too long, Americans have lived in ideologically gated communities. Avenues must be expanded to encourage Americans to cross the political divide - to experience each other as fellow humans. One Small Step, an initiative of NPR, and the Braver Angels Project are just two examples of such approaches.
Social contact theory suggests that inter-group distrust can be bridged when people work on jointly valued projects. Various programs encouraging national service, such as AmeriCorps and Vista, exist to bring together diverse Americans to work on national needs. These can be expanded and new ones created, perhaps under a voluntary “National Service” program with the incentive of forgiving student debt. Americans also need a bipartisan national goal to rally around and work toward, a project that gets them thinking of country rather than party
Biden must also address the moral corruption of American institutions that feeds anger on both the Left and Right. This is a task he will never finish but must begin. Acknowledging the problem and using his bully pulpit to build demands for change are crucial. Too many corporations and financial institutions are corrupted by their focus on short-term profit at the expense of the public. Technology companies are too often corrupted by placing ad revenue above social good. Social and cable media pursue audience share over truth and balance. Congress embraces extremism, the pursuit of political cash and the elevation of party loyalty above national needs.
The new president must also help Americans understand their own government. Much discontent is the result of historical amnesia and erroneous beliefs about the Constitution and how government works. Far too many fail to grasp such basic values built into the Constitution as the need for compromise, for balancing majority rule with minority rights and for respecting the separation of powers. Biden must also take the courageous step of reversing the decades-long growth of executive power, which permitted many of the abuses he ran against.
He cannot do this alone. It is past time for leaders at all levels to remind Americans that their rhetoric, conspiracy theories, and extremism are destroying the America they claim to love so much. It is time for Americans to dial down the self-righteousness that is driving out true patriotism.
As the nation came apart, Lincoln ended his first inaugural address with these words:
“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
Biden is right to call for restoring the soul of America. That’s the work that awaits him – and all of us.
Photo Credit: NBC News
