We are living in a difficult time. Our country and its communities are deeply polarized; many Americans distrust one another as well as the government and other institutions. The novel coronavirus has deepened our problems in a way none of us imagined.
The number of Americans have contracted COVID-19 has surpassed a million. Tens of thousands have died, and record numbers have lost their jobs. No wonder, then, people are disheartened, even discouraged. This is a stressful and challenging period, when we and our representative democracy are being tested.
But there are reasons to be hopeful. I think of a speech the Rev. Jesse Jackson gave with the theme of “keep hope alive,” and that’s what we must do. Hope is a precious commodity in human endeavors, including government and politics. We need it now as much as ever.
What gives us hope today? First, the United States remains the world’s preeminent power. We may not stand astride the world as we once did, but we are still a global leader. People in other nations look to us for leadership. I’ve experienced this scores of times, in international meetings where delegates looked to see what the U.S. would do.
The fundamentals of the U.S. economy are strong. After recovering from the 2007-08 recession, we experienced a remarkable period of economic growth. The pandemic has brought a setback, of course, but there is strength and growing vitality in America.
Even with all our problems, a strong strain of optimism is part of the national character. We may not agree about politics, our leaders or the direction of our country, but dig beneath the surface and most Americans are appreciative of our history and proud to be Americans. They do not want to trade places with the citizens of any other country.
Moreover, Americans are talented and resilient.
I’ve traveled across this country many times, and I’ve met with countless groups and individuals; and in those meetings I’ve been repeatedly impressed with the wealth of talented people I’ve encountered. You find them in all walks of life: academia, business, labor, and the worlds of sports, arts and culture. In unexpected settings, I’ve met knowledgeable citizens who can argue the finer points of domestic politics and foreign policy.
Energetic discussion and deliberation on issues of public concern is a defining feature of American life. With the internet, all Americans have access to vast amounts of information about topics that interest them, and they use that information skillfully.
Finally, our system of federalism is again showing its strength. In the current public health crisis, governors and mayors have stepped up to lead. And it’s not just government where this occurs: individuals and community groups of all kinds, public and private, are meeting our challenges.
Progress is never linear, and the COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that there will always be setbacks. But they will not override our hopes and actions.
Nearly two hundred years ago, Tocqueville wrote that Americans had “a lively faith in the perfectibility of man.” That faith may be tested, but it endures.
By Lee H. Hamilton
Philip Amerson
Thanks to Congressman Hamilton for this good perspective; it is a word we need to hear. The Tocqueville quote re Americans having a “lively faith in the perfectibility of man” captures what I pray is true. Still, I am reminded of the sunny optimism re perfectibility offered by the likes of Reinhold Niebuhr in the decades preceding WW II. Niebuhr’s faith, and that of other social analysts, especially theologians of my tradition, was sorely tested by the rise of Hitler and the use of nuclear weapons. Niebuhr came out the other side of this profoundly committed to a Realism regarding how we proceed as a nation/society. That was then, a time when consensus was more obtainable. Our task, it seems, is a daunting one. Certainly the building of some consensus as a nation is critical. In my view, this will involve much truth telling and robust renewable of our nation’s intelligence and security systems. Hence, I cheer on the important work of the Hamilton Lugar School.
Philip Amerson