EPISODE 4: Notes to America - The Bill of Obligations, by Richard Haass

 As Americans waken to the authoritarian threats facing democracy, Richard Haass' book, The Bill of Obligations; Ten Habits for Good Citizens, offers a 10-habit plan for stewarding ourselves toward a more robust dynamic citizenry.  His gracious regard for democracy postures Americans of every party and persuasion to become better, more competent citizens for the 21st century.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode: 
Haass, Richard. The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens. Penguin Press, 2023. 

Interview Clips Used:
“In New Book, Haass Explores the Obligations We Have to One Another and the Country.” NPR, 24 Jan. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/01/24/1150942762/in-new-book-haass-explores-the-obligations-we-have-to-one-another-and-the-countr.

Episode Music:   An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
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Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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Disclaimer:   The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of sponsors, underwriters, advertisers or guests. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. 

Transcript

Welcome to American Musecast!  I’m your host, Susan Travis, exploring American politics using the construct of the hero’s journey and the archetypes of the psyche.  

In previous episodes, I’ve characterized America and its citizens as a country on hero’s journey, in great part because America is both the hero and the villain of its own story, and we have a quest ahead.  Episode 2 exposed the escalating anti-democratic tendencies threatening our nation. That’s the dragon, the contagion threatening us.  It’s a “call to quest,” that ringing of the bell and the siren of the lighthouse as we approach the rocks. That episode sounded a heart-breaking Mayday.  

But then came Episode 3, the last episode, when I noted the failure of Americans to competently engage and respond vigorously as dynamic citizens, our big fat ho-hum yawn from a politically flabby populace. Our complacency begins in a denial that there’s any threat at all, and proceeds to an array of reasoning for ignoring any sense of urgency in response to the to the call to steward democracy.  So many Americans shrug with indifference, unmotivated to defend democracy as the precious legacy it is. That’s the second, heartbreaking Mayday.

Today’s little wakey-wakey carries another nudge as to what is required of us, and why.  Here we sit in the 21st century, in the land of milk and honey, because of our complex history.  Hopes and dreams of the pioneers and early entrepreneurs.  Exploitation of native peoples and people enslaved – and their sacrifices, fueling all those hopes and dreams, not so different from their own.  We’re here because of those with a generous spirit, and we’re here because of miserly souls.  Light and shadow.  We’re here for a lot of very complex reasons. 

Some insist on a lily-white narrative which casts us as the progeny of square-jawed John Waynes and sweet Mrs. Cleavers,  while others believe that America was founded by demons and fiends. But, if all we see are either heroes OR villains, then we miss the hard-earned journey of resilience that for so long has carried all Americans out of one way of being, into another – we deny our own journey and the journey that our forefathers made on our behalf.  

People dreamed.  People struggled.  People yearned to be free, and suffered to become Americans.  They spilled blood, and lost life and limb. All along the way, many stood in the way of freedom, and many others persevered despite the obstacles and exploitation.  So, come on, it’s ALL brought us to this moment.  We aren’t diminished by admitting an all-encompassing history; but we are diminished if we deny the breadth and depth of those deeply founding roots that are the birthrights of all Americans.

Now, are we really so dysfunctional that we can’t do OUR part to nurture the promise and hope that this nation holds? To do the work in all the places of forgiving and amending?  Are we really going to curl up and without so much as a whimper or a lifted pinkie just let all that sacrifice and hard work decay around us? 

What was it Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Richard Haass is an American diplomat, formerly the president of the Council on Foreign Relations from July 2003 to June 2023, prior to which he was director of policy planning for the United States Department of State and a close advisor to Secretary of State Colin Powell during the George W. Bush administration.  I’ve followed his work for many years, and his new book, The Bill of Obligations; Ten Habits for Good Citizens, caught my eye because it carries a gracious regard for democracy that the rest of us would do well to embrace.  Haass offers a plan, not really for stewarding democracy outright, but for stewarding ourselves toward a more robust dynamic citizenry, and to my mind, that’s where we need to start this endeavor.

We’re good at plugging our “exceptionalism” and asserting our rights, passionately and maybe sometimes a bit maniacally, as in, “it’s a free country I have a right to do anything I want!” Mmmmmmm?  Not so fast. We all know at least someone who doesn’t understand the whole rights + responsibilities = freedom thing – and who just don’t get that being an American doesn’t mean asserting unlimited rights with wild abandon! 

Richard Haas writes, “our democracy is imperiled, and its demise would be an incalculable loss to this country’s citizens, and to the world.” In his work, I see the seeds of our own heroism, the pearls of dynamic citizenry and a new, vibrant political culture in which we, the people, might stir ourselves to a new competency “in order to form a more perfect union,” one which begins, “All are equal.” 

As a democratic republic, this “by the people for the people” part is outsourced and delegated to our representatives, job descriptions that give them our proxy, our consent to commit time, integrity, expertise to the governing of American society on our behalf.  But that outsourcing of power was never meant to be a full abandonment of obligations on the citizens’ part.

Haass’ book offers a blueprint for revitalizing our citizenry by honing the necessary habits of good citizenry.  Remember, we’re the heroes we’ve been waiting for – the ragtag hero-populace still deciding what to wear if we really HAVE to get out there and steward something!  Well, if nothing else, sturdy shoes.

Sliding into first place as if peeking in to my previous podcast episodes, Richard Haass presents the first obligation, to BE INFORMED.  I’m going to combine this with his nineth obligation, which is to SUPPORT THE TEACHING OF CIVICS.  I see these as intertwined, and here’s why.  

A recent survey found a great number of people believe that the overturning of Roe v. Wade was President Biden’s fault, because “he’s a Democrat, and he’s in charge of everything.”  Well, oh my, it doesn’t work that way, nor should it.  Many others confuse democracy with Democrats, so, that’s problematic.  These distorted understandings increase our vulnerability to disinformation. We need a lot more than just facts to build a healthier understanding; we need the context of history and the philosophical principles behind our governing structure. 

It's not easy, because we’re building a plane as it flies.  We’re figuring it out, one generation at a time . . . . building our democracy, one day, one act of decency at a time – and weirdly, many of us don’t even know what democracy is.

In the business world, an employer interviews applicants for a job.  In the political world, the people are essentially the employer, the campaign process is our interview, our time of research and exploration vetting the candidates for the job.  Do we believe this person?  How do they carry themselves under pressure – how well do they speak and how do they understand contemporary issues? How do they interact with other politicians? What is their sense of fair play?  What is their record of achievements?  Their character? Additionally, the public has a right to know who is contributing to each campaign and how much, because that tells us who they will owe.  Large corporations, big pharma – Russia?  We are supposed to look for these answers ourselves, not to go with sound bites or partisan persuasion.  We need as much information as we can gather to aids in choosing a candidate of competence and integrity who will nurture, guide, and defend our beloved America.  Annoying though they may be, campaigns are as important to the democratic process, as interviewing potential employees is to hiring them.  

Now.  Even as I work to produce this episode, former president Trump has been found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a scheme to cover up his sexual relationship with porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.  A recent survey shows that a third of independent voters who don’t watch news, didn’t know anything about this, and didn’t know that Trump is now legally, a convicted felon.  A third.

The falsification WOULD have been only a misdemeanor, but the law requires that it be “bumped up” to a felony, because the hushing DIRECTLY related to an election campaign.  Therefore, hush money became a campaign expense, falsely recorded as legal expenses to hide the scandal from the public in the wake of the Access Hollywood tape (where he admitted on camera that he can’t stop himself from randomly kissing and grabbing women by their genitals).  By disguising the payments as legal fees, Trump and his attorney, Michael Cohen, didn’t JUST falsify payoffs to a porn star (a misdemeanor,) but they did so to affect the results of an election (a felony).  In this matter and for lying to the court about it, Mr. Cohen already served time in 2019.  

This wasn’t a “witch hunt,” it was a crime against the voters. Yet, for years, conservative media outlets, along with Trump and his extremist followers, characterize Trump’s alleged criminality as a “witch hunt,” a political persecution, a characterization that minimizes the crime and covers up facts that the public requires for informed decisions.  The result? A segment of our citizenry is misinformed, basing their voting choices not only on a false narrative of the events, but also on false insults of corruption discrediting our legal system and undermining our democratic system. 

Now.  It is REALLY credible (believable) that everything about Trump’s hush money as campaign obstruction case (the charges, the judge, all 12 jurors, the prosecutor, the law itself, the evidence, the jury instructions, the reporters – everything) was ALL bogus, corrupt, fake, biased, evil, etc –  and that the whole thing was a “witch hunt?”  RIGGED!  All rigged, for this case, the other cases, in other states, and the elections, all across the country? “It’s all rigged, I say!”  Spaghetti hits the wall in a frenzied splat, because, to the minds of the followers, every aspect of loss on their side is a direct result from a dirty trick by the justice system or the opposing party.  NONE of it could possibly be true, they say, the rule of law could not possibly have been honorably served.  Evidence, schmevidence, only the spaghetti flung denials and sticky propaganda are true. Somehow, President Biden, old, rickety enfeebled and pitiful, has not only masterminded this elaborate scheme, but also deviously allowed his only son to be prosecuted as an appeasement to cover his loathsome tracks.  Does that story really make sense?

It does to a lot of people thirsting for revenge.  Here in the early summer of ‘24, violence is in the air, right-wing extremists are pitch-fork angry, and everyone who had anything to do with the hush money election fraud case, has a target right between their eyes – every day intimidated, harassed, and threatened with rape, hanging, execution and all manner of menace.  These are facts. Our civil servants have become the front lines of radical right schemes for “revenge,” and anyone of conscience, regardless of party, must become a part of their defense.

Failing to understand due process fuels the fury of extremists, from journalists to politicians and every day Americans.  The jury, chosen by both sides like every other jury, have been through the process of examining that evidence – it doesn’t come from TikTok or sprout out of some conspiracy theory about the Chinese controlling our elections through our thermostats.  In this hush money election fraud case, the evidence presented was cancelled checks, phone recordings and memos outlining the payment plan, and the testimony of those who were there, testimony corroborated, backed up that is, by the other evidence and admissions by Trump’s co-conspirators. 

Now, most main-stream media networks spend millions to ensure that their work is grounded in fact, while the average Facebook or TikTok poster can’t possibly undertake that rigorous level of fact-checking. But due process applies to EVERY case.  When there’s NO evidence, people like Hillary or Joe Biden cannot be charged.  Now, it’s fair enough to look for evidence, and when there IS evidence and corroborating testimony, people are held accountable for their crimes.  When there is no evidence, we let it go, and our system has long been the envy of democracies across the globe, because it generally gets it right.  

We understand due process because of the structure and bones of our system of governance and justice, and when we are properly informed, we understand the ways that current events like these fit into the system of justice.  My point is, that without understanding the system, millions are duped into believing that this case didn’t follow the process, that elections aren’t following the process, and that the rule of law (our process) is broken and can’t be honorably applied.  And how can a democracy function without informed citizens?

Why have we allowed ourselves, our citizens, to become blinded and willfully ignorant of our civil processes? A strong, dynamic citizenry requires that we re-embrace an understanding of our own responsibilities as citizens, and of our governing structure – the bones, the scaffolding and the reasons underpinning our institutions.  For decades, high school civics has been brushed aside into, at best, as a possible elective, but as we see, eliminating civics greases the way for any old claim to seem true.  Evidence, schmevidence.  Our electorate has been dumbed down. 

I’ve found that if I ask a random person, “what is due process?” I will be stunned but not surprised that they aren’t really sure.  Well, due process is our path to justice, the system of laws which must be applied equally to all, WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR – and although that phrase washes over us as maybe just quaintly ornamental, it ties the rule of law to our humanity and our trust, promising the courage to proceed toward justice without fear of retribution or revenge by the defendant or supporters, and promising the integrity to do so fairly, without FAVORING either party.  Courage and integrity.  Pillars upholding the rule of law. It doesn’t always work flawlessly; either can be compromised, but even then, there’s a process for appealing, and for other mechanisms of correction.  Regardless of the outcome, Americans neither vote on nor seek revenge for jury verdicts.  And yet, here we are, facing a vast swath of our fellow citizens seeking “retribution.”  

Out of 62 lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies alleging that the 2020 election was stolen – all but one were lost or dismissed because there was no evidence of fraud.  The one “win” gave Pennsylvania 3 days to correct ballots in error . . . hardly the epic fraud alleged.  Long before they were held, Trump claimed without evidence, that each election since 2016 has been rigged.  But this habit of lobbing accusations for political gain, or encouraging that we lock someone up without evidence, or scream “witch hunt,” without evidence, or place obstacles in the ways of civil rights protect by the constitution, these habits are a destabilizing assault on the most important component of democracy.  The rule of law. And the more people who are unclear about the system, the easier it is to break our system through distrust.   We hear the true believers, every day, “I believe the election was stolen – there’s evidence!” And yet, there is not evidence.

This is a chip chip chipping at our confidence in our government and our people. It’s emotional, psychological, and political abuse.  “Our system is no good, it’s worthless. It’s beyond hope. It’s evil and fake and biased - America can’t do anything right.”  Chip, chip, chip at the esteemed once-cherished institutions of the hero-populace.  The mantra of the abuser – you’re no good, you’re expendable.  No one wants you.  Without me, you’d be nothing.  Chip chip chip until our spirits are broken and we’re cowed to the will of the abuser.  We’re being groomed.

In 2023, Fox News was found liable for deliberately and falsely claiming that the 2016 Dominion voting machines were rigged and had thrown the election.  They pounded this lie until they were blue in the face. But with evidence, including internal Fox memos admitting their culpability, Fox was found libel, and in 2023, settled with Dominion for $787 million dollars.  Similar lawsuits by other voting companies against Fox News remain to be tried, so Fox News is in a real pickle . . . .OR IS IT?  Because Fox News never covered the story on their own network, their MILLIONS of viewers remain entirely unaware of the case or the outcome, much less, that the internal Fox memos of the hosts and their bosses admitted to the profitability of simply telling viewers what they wanted to hear regardless of the truth.  Advertisers fleeing Fox were quickly replaced, so, while those companies lost access to the 4.5 million Fox viewers as potential customers, Fox just shifted to new advertisers, and Fox viewers, unaware that they had been manipulated, never lost confidence in their media of choice.  For Fox, $787 million was just the cost of doing business.

Now, I hear it all the time.  We just need the facts, not all of this stinkin’ opinion. Well.  Years ago, when we had only three networks and only an hour of news each night, and the four hours before bedtime held the same programming options for all of us, Americans lived in the same reality, or more to the point, perceived a common reality.  Collectively, everyone received the same basic unfolding facts about say, Watergate, regardless of whatever else was hidden.  

At that time, the fairness doctrine of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC), required the holders of broadcast licenses not only to present controversial issues of public importance but to do so in a manner that fairly reflected differing viewpoints, along with historic and structural context.  But with the rise of cable networks, news became 24/7, and the doctrine was eliminated in 1987.  Guard rails came down.  Profit went up.  Civics classes were on decline. Suddenly, news became full time profitable partisan entertainment operating within a landscape absent an understanding of our governing structure.  Profit minus guardrails related to information.  What could possibly go wrong.  Well, disinformation, conspiracies, and a fabricated reality in which we seem to live, each on our own little planet. The early 21st century is being called, the “post-truth era.”

Impartiality sounds like a good idea, but when we give equal time and the same serious consideration to, say, the Flat Earth Society as we do to proven science that the earth is round, some viewers are left wondering – could it be TRUE that the world is flat?  That Trump might be innocent . . . or the returning messiah?  That the 2020 election was stolen through our thermostats?  And so we hear, “I don’t know WHAT to believe anymore – they’re all lying.”

At present, we are woefully ill-equipped to process the societal and political impact of isolated  “facts” when the bulk of the country has no common understanding of our obligations, our history, or our structure and is in great part fed by a network found guilty of deliberate dis-information.  We’re woefully incapable of contextualizing, much less analyzing facts into an evidence-based narrative. That’s how seriously we should take our obligation to understand civics and to be informed in a way that appropriately drapes current events onto our governing structure.

These obligations, in addition to the next one, BECOMING INVOLVED, involve direct action.  Our citizen responsibilities are is generally understood as voting, jury duty, paying taxes and not getting caught speeding.  That’s that scrappy, good enough citizenry, even as super-citizens run for office, carry signs in protest, and pound the table yelling, “We’re mad as hell, and we’re not gonna take it anymore!” For them, being involved means running for office or aiding with a campaign, attending school board meetings and protests – the full contact sport of activism and participation.  

In our last episode, I discussed the need to protect our mental health in these difficult times, and for many, being an informed is overwhelming.  But some of our most important involvement flies under the radar. Parents who encourage their kids to participate, volunteer, and understand political and civic obligations are getting involved in a way that strengthens our citizenry for generations.  It can also mean volunteering at your local library, taking on a Girl Scout troop, making scarves and sandwiches for protesters, donating, or writing or calling your Congressional representatives and generally supporting those at the front lines.  Find something that fits YOU and your family, and let this be a part of your commitment to dynamic citizenry.  

Our quality of citizenship, our patriotism, requires fulfilling these first obligations to civic action:  an understanding of structure, insisting on quality information and analysis, and our participation.  But Haass also includes seven other indirect responsibilities, obligations that have to do with our character and values, our emotional intelligence and integrity.  They are less about our time and energy, and more to do with our comportment, that is, how we carry ourselves in relation our fellows and our government, and they underpin that idea of being more politically healthy Americans, in general.  

Over 23 million Americans make a career of involvement as local, state, or federal employees, not including the military, (about 2 million more) so it is indeed our obligation to RESPECT GOVERNMENT SERVICE, whether it’s military or civil service. We talked about this in the last episode, that serving our country is done by we, the people, fellow Americans.  These aren’t some others-ogres with a different blood and three livers.  They are our friends, families, and fellow Americans, and they are in fields with high harassment and high oversight that sours any opportunity for initiative or increased efficiency. True, sometimes they’re cranky, but we have no draft, no volunteer mandates, and no real incentives – we have only personal willingness to take on these jobs.  Let’s show appreciation, and respect.   

But MOST IMPORTANTLY, In these difficult times, speak up in defense of government service, especially when you hear the crowd with the pitchforks rumbling toward jurors and election workers screaming, “RIGGED!” They are NOT all the same.  They are NOT all trying to rig something. So let’s not paint them with scarlet letters just because they are in government service.  Remember that little detail underpinning justice – evidence?  Plus, death threats? Really? If you or someone you know is in the “harass government worker” business, shame on that!  UGH~ Moving on.

Let’s have a look at the dual nature of COMPROMISE.  First, when we say, “the rule of law and democracy have been compromised,” we are speaking of a weakening or vulnerability, perhaps through attack or misuse.  It may be due to unauthorized access perhaps through foreign interference,  or a bad actor, or it may be a revelation or exposure, as through leaks.  It may be a ruining, violation, or undermining, as in the introduction of something that ruins it, like extremist views or corruption.  Democracy is meant to remain noble and “pure,” of the highest integrity, and when its essence is deliberately “compromised,” it is seen as a sabotage – a deliberate ruining, undermining, and discrediting.  It’s bad.

In a different sense of the word, when we come together, and agree to compromise, those strong compromises maintain public trust that there are good faith efforts from all parties to include progress toward everyone’s interest.  It’s good.  Compromise in that sense, lies in the middle, holding the ends together in tension and diluting extremism.   It’s a desirable negotiating strategy that gives each party as much as possible of what they want.  We even compromise with ourselves – a piece of pie or none – well, maybe just a sliver.

So, here’s an example, sort of like the health care debate, of how both can happen at the same time. Suppose you’ve promised to build an affordable car for the American people, but your opponent thinks it’s a bad idea – it might be too costly and undermine the current automobile industry.  But your opponent agrees to compromise.  Now, in good faith, the opponent might agree that the car must well made, but smaller with fewer features, so that the auto industry is still the king, and the people have a sound basic option that is more affordable.  That would be “true compromise in good faith.”  Each side surrenders a little of what they want in order to get what is truly most important to them.

But suppose, the opponent agrees to the car in a way that chips away at its strengths. Sure, build a big car, but it can only have three and a half wheels, and no carburetor, run on apple juice and have folding chairs for seats.  This is a “bad faith compromise,”  and if all of this is snuck in at the last minute, it’s full sabotage – “the project has been compromised,” ruined. The bad one.  

The introduction of something harmful to sabotage a project is called, “a poisoned pill.” So, while agreeing to a bad faith compromise may be seen as honoring a promise to the people, but it will soon be shown as having put together a poor product, and the opponent will say, “see, we told you this was a bad idea. Witness the incompetence of my esteemed colleague.”  And if you don’t agree – if you saw it coming? Your opponents will argue that despite a negotiated opportunity you voted against your own project. You were never really serious, maybe even corrupt.  Damn you if you do and even if you don’t.  So, don’t be quick to assume that a representative isn’t trying their darndest to honor their promises.

As a time-honored negotiating tactic, compromise is now a dirty word to those who want ONLY their entire way.  No compromise.  This is where we are – with health care, with immigration reform, climate mitigation policies, the teaching of civics and inclusive history.  By demonizing and characterizing each issue as a threat to the American way of life, obstructing compromise becomes justified. Refusing to compromise creates fewer wins for your opponent.  The good versus evil polarizing strategy highlights the stark choice between parties, so, refusing to compromise can yield strong political gains with voters at the extreme edges.

It’s a sort of selling your soul to the devil for a slice of pie. Political ambition carries that shadow, one with which humanity must always grapple.  How? By understanding the situation enough to shine a light on it - every time. Shine a light on a shadow and voila.  It loses its power.  It has nowhere to hide.  But someone has to notice, and care, speak up, and hold the light.

Richard Haas urges us to be open to compromise, compromise, in good faith, that is.  It pulls the ends closer to center and stitches the middle together.  It shows we can once again work together.  It shows we can debate, work out solutions, understand one another’s needs, interests, and motivations, and find outcomes that are merit-based, rather than profit or power based.  Regardless of the outcome, the willingness to compromise in good faith, is a HUGE binding element, tied to another of our obligations. 

To REMAIN CIVIL.   Now, look.  Bullies, gonna bully.  Mean girls, gonna pull your hair and start the snarky rumors.  These days, too many people have been given permission to never grow up, never stop, never evolve into a place of respect for others.  Most parents discourage bullying and I’m gonna out on a limb here and say we should discourage citizens and national leaders from such ass-holery as well.  That’s our obligation, another personal commitment that not only strengthens the American populace, but as a bonus is good for heart health, stress, relationships, and being seen favorably in the eyes of the potential Almighty.  

It behooves us to LISTEN and LEARN.  Now, I’m a gifted snarker – maybe even a snark savant really, in my humble opinion, so I’ll have to hide my light under a bushel just like the rest of decent Americans.  After all, it’s to save democracy, so, to score for compromise, I’d better get on board!  Maybe even for the get involved obligation we can zip our snarky mouths.  Pretty sure that’s important, so it may be my particular challenge.  I may need reminding.

Now, it’s one thing to resist something heinous sailing forward as if it were normal and acceptable.  So, many make a strong case for mocking hypocrisy, for shaming poor behavior. and for being scornful about authoritarian endeavors and the demeaning of facts and decency.  It’s an argument that says, don’t take your wits to a knucklehead contest – don’t fight by the Marquis of Queensbury rules at a street fight.  Fight fire with fire. And while I’ve made this argument, myself, it seems that Americans of good conscience should model what they want to see in the world, otherwise, we are nothing different, and we add proof to whatever insults are lobbed from the low road, until we are all just low road travelers. 

So let’s be nicer, smarter, and model the America we want to be.  Listen to understand, not to find a chink to exploit.  We’ve brought change or at least awareness though taking a knee, posting #MeToo, a wearing pink hats with ears. The kindness signs in yards that say, “In this house . . .”  Eventually, Americans of good conscience, right left center all around and still seeking a political family become the family of choice.  Remaining civil doesn’t mean abandoning our values; it means living up to them, and we can do this in ways that stand firm and unrelenting in our stewardship.

And it all ties to the PROMOTING THE COMMON GOOD.  Yep, those obligations just keep coming, thank you, Richard Haass for thinking of so many!  Once again, I think an explanation of two versions of “common” is in order.  First, in “the common good,” we mean “in the interest of all,” specifically related to something called, “The Commons,” such as air, water, earth, forests, fisheries, or groundwater resources.  Increasingly, the term “The Commons” refers to an even broader set of domains, e.g. knowledge commons, digital commons, urban commons, health commons, cultural commons, etc.  Whether privately or publicly held, the health of the commons affects all of us, so regulation is required to promote the common good.  (See how I tied that all together in rhetorical bow!) It seems so simple, yet when there’s profit to be made by exploiting something necessary to others, the commons often lose out.  In 1919, Zachariah Chafes noted that “your right to swing your arms ends where another person’s nose begins.” Words often forgotten, but the idea is that the common good comes before individual rights – that’s the Harm Principle. Do unto others – the Golden Rule – all promote the common good.

They all tie together, civility, compromise, the common good, and the VALUING OF NORMS.  Those unwritten traditions that hover somewhere between good manners and ethics.  In daily life, this is like not taking cuts or eating off other people’s plates.  Being on time, tipping, telling the truth, keeping commitments, are expected, and people adjust their perception of us when we dink with the norms of human decency. But when it comes to politics, laws are the bones, and norms are the fiber and lube, the spirit and intent.  

Consider a debate.  It has rules.  Each side presents the facts, and the facts with the greater persuasive merit wins.  This follows the norms of ethical behavior.  But what happens when one side ignores the rules, and presents falsehoods in order to appear to have the greater merit, and wins?  Should both sides resort to fraudulent tactics?  And what if one side stays on the high road, and thus, always loses?  We’re back to the dilemma – be what we want to see in the world, or fight fire with fire?  See how they braid together?

Other norms include not obstructing a president’s opportunity to choose a Supreme Court justice, or to steal their turn on the way out the door.  It is the norm to choose competent people to strengthen our institutions, not to sabotage by deliberately installing incompetent people– we know better.  And yet our foundational norms have been compromised – violated and undermined.  

When kids lose a game and the ref is unfair, there are a lot of rules to being team players.  Losing is inevitable – it’s an outcome that happens, and frankly, we don’t shame little kids for losing,– we teach graceful acceptance to loss as a mature response.  It eases us into the adult norm of accepting the outcome of an election, even when it’s disappointing – we always have, even in Bush v. Gore.  That was hard to swallow, but the larger swath of Americans did it.  Losing is not a shame; it’s inevitable in competition.  But the response, how we react, well, that’s straight on us, and most of us learned early on not to be a SORE LOSER, like you know who, because, that is a catastrophic shame.  We need to better distinguish between loss, losing, and Sore Losers, because mushing them together is going to have a generational effect on American coping skills.  

Norms are courtesy, plus ethics, plus integrity – they are just, the right thing to do, even when there’s no law, and even when no one is looking.  The opposite is a pouting sulkiness, petulance, being peevish or sullen, pugnacious, and truculent, all important vocabulary words which indicate the opposite of gracious losing.

Which brings us to our obligation to REJECT VIOLENCE.  Who knew?  In fact, the government has the monopoly on legitimate violence with ONE exception, and that is self-defense.  It’s that easy to understand, aside from sports, but no slapping your friend, no punching your spouse or your neighbor, no robbery, rape or mayhem.  Not supposed to do that. No power by force, no shotgun marriages, no shooting up schools or theaters or synagogues, no public beatings, no vandalism.  Reject violence.

We’re not an R rated action movie - We’re expected to be a peaceful people – by law.  Politically, the high ground lies in peaceful protests and peaceful transfers of power.  Violence forfeits the high ground where democracy and all the mechanisms for challenge and change reside. When we agree to a civilized society, we agree to restraint, a willingness to be lawful and accountable.  This is our obligation, despite our behavior.   We are to reject violence, and our 400 million guns STILL don’t give us the right to threaten violence, as if “we’re the ones with the guns,” affords some legitimate upper hand.  Particularly gun violence against our unarmed neighbor who may happen to vote differently. The answer to fellow citizens should be, “So what? So what you’re the ones with the guns, reject violence and don’t point that thing at me.”   Unless we’re on a criminal path, or being threatened with bodily harm, American recourse does not include violence.  Vote. Get involved. Compromise, and promote the common good. 

And in all things outside of your heart and home, PUT COUNTRY FIRST.  Love your God, your family, yourself, your friends, in the order that you see fit, but put country first, over party – over a group identification.  Over hate for any group.   It’s another unifying obligation that says we’re Americans first, before we square off.  It shows we understand that being a patriotic American comes before being any other group affiliation.  We steward American democracy first, to protect our loved ones. Then, we look to party for evidence that IT puts country first.  

We are the most successful political experiment in human history, with the greatest potential, so we just can’t be confused or negligent in our stewardship, and it requires trust and widespread acceptance of our institutions.  Putting country first means channeling our obligations as dynamic citizens to that end.  It begins the healing journey toward the promise of a more perfect union, toward exceptionalism, and toward a nation for ALL of us for our common interest.

I’m reminded of the old fairy tales, where the innocent hero adrift is given talismans – beans or crumbs or something usually weird and boring, simple and safe along with instructions as to how to use them on the journey.  Toss one into each cave, give three to the first witch, say the mantra – stuff like that.  Richard Haass gives us these ten instructions for how to keep a healthy focus in the stewardship of democracy.  These are, the 10 Habits of Good Citizens, the Bill of Obligations. Suppose we give these some thought in the coming weeks.  Think about where we fall short in our personal lives, because we can all do better.  I know I can.

That’s it for today, but for my dear listeners with a fire in the belly, please follow this weekly podcast, to share it with others, and tell ‘em how great it is.  These are all my personal views, but I welcome your comments and observations in the comments section.  Just use your manners.  I’m a real person, not a chew toy.  Now, buckle up buttercups!  Let’s get out there, and steward democracy!