Former Bush speechwriter David Frum has some specific ideas about the right (and wrong) ways to build more consensus between the parties in Washington. The no. 1 priority: foreign policy.
As commander in chief, the president bears the responsibility for waging and winning the nation's wars. The ferocious partisan dissension that has broken out at home over the war on terror dangerously subtracts from the nation's war-fighting effectiveness.Posted by Alan at November 13, 2004 07:42 AMPartisan warfare at home has given credibility and confidence to America's enemies abroad. It should have been sobering to everyone, Democrat and Republican alike, to hear Osama bin Laden alluding to scenes from "Fahrenheit 9/11" in his pre-election videotape. Most Democrats privately have little use for Michael Moore's conspiracy-mongering. But in their anger at President Bush, Democrats who really should know better (plus, of course, President Carter) have legitimated Mr. Moore's work--and that of other anti-American haters.
Partisan disunity has damaged America's alliances. It ought to have disturbed even Democrats to hear Europeans whispering that their willingness to support America in Iraq would vary according to the outcome of the presidential election. Instead, some Democrats responded by agreeing that the Europeans were justified in their attitude--inviting European governments to take sides in an American election in hope that they, not U.S. voters, could choose the president with whom they would cooperate.
Hyperpartisanship has weakened America's own war-fighting strength. In every war, there will be mistakes, often very grave ones. It's essential to acknowledge mistakes and learn from them. But in this war, the Bush administration knew that any attempt to identify and fix errors would be savagely exploited by domestic opponents. Burdened by that knowledge, the administration has often succumbed to denial and intransigence when learning and improvement were most called for. The administration has won an election. But the anger left behind by the election risks making losers of us all.
So what to do?
At home, normal politics should continue--as it did even during World War II, when Republicans and Democrats differed over issues from union power to farm policy. President Bush has plans to reform Social Security and taxation and to nominate conservative judges. Democrats will do everything they can to stop him. That's the way the game is played.
But in this war on terror, we have to get Republicans and Democrats back on the same team. And graceful as were the concession and victory statements by John Kerry and President Bush, words alone won't get anyone very far. There are, however, some actions that might help President Bush introduce some useful bipartisanship to American foreign policy. More.