Remember, Pres. Obama: "It's the Culture (Not Health Care), Stupid!"

President Obama will be giving a speech on health care reform on Wednesday. Here's why I hope he'll speak on transforming the culture of politics here in America instead.

The Obama administration was smart to avoid the mistake the Clinton administration made during its 1993 attempt at health care reform. You cannot impose reform from the top. Not if you expect that reform to last. Large-scale, systemic change requires the support of as many players as possible, so the final plan can be successfully implemented.

But what I hope President Obama realizes is that there's a hugely applicable lesson in what Bill Clinton and his team did right -- in 1992 during the presidential campaign -- not just in what they did wrong in their health care reform efforts once they were in office.

As the 1993 documentary The War Room showed, the Clinton presidential campaign knew there was one thing above all else on the public's mind: The economy. As a result, everything they did revolved around that issue. And a sign -- "It's the economy, stupid!" -- hung on the wall in the War Room to remind them of this truth.

Fast forward to today (well, technically, a year ago today). What was on the wall in every Obama campaign office?

"Hope" and "Yes, We Can"





Not "Out of Iraq Now" or "Ending Our Addiction To Oil."

Not even "It's Health Care Reform, Stupid!"

No. It was not one issue that got Barack Obama elected. It was one attitude. An attitude captured by Will I. Am's "Yes, We Can" video.

It was an attitude that said Progress On All Issues Is Possible!

It was an attitude that was greeted by many of us like a gift from God, because we were living in a world that seemed to be going backwards to the era of the "divine right of Kings;" to a time when asking questions was considered unpatriotic. Our leaders were telling us "We'll save you. Just keep shopping."

It was an attitude that -- because it focused on "We" -- promised a progress that invited all of us to roll up our shirt sleeves and join our new president in making this a better world.

It was an attitude Barack Obama spoke of during his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention by saying "All across America, something is stirring... This election has never been about me. It's about you ... Change doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington."

It was an attitude that he would sometimes finish talking about by saying, "Together we can win this election. Together we can transform our world".

But then Barack Obama won the election. And what happened?

In classic, mechanical problem-solving fashion, the Obama transition team drew up a list of all the "broken parts" of society the new administration would work to fix. And a terrific list it was. Still is, in fact.

But you know what didn't make the list?

Transforming the country.

Now you might say "What do you mean 'transforming the country' is not on the list? Fixing all the things that are broken will transform the country!"

Well, actually, it won't.

Even if the entire list of problems were to get solved (using -- as many suggest -- a "Democrats push through the necessary changes over Republican opposition" strategy), that would not transform the country. And that's because transforming a system means fundamentally altering the basic way in which that system functions. Not the way the parts function, but the way the whole system functions.

And -- in the case of the conflict-based, kids-fighting-in-a-schoolyard system we have today -- that means shifting our politics from one in which "It's us against them" is the first thought people have when they get up in the morning to one in which "It's all of us working together for the good of the nation" is that first thought.

You see, even if the Obama administration and its allies in Congress were to pass all the legislation talked about during the campaign, without a fundamental, cultural transformation from "it's you or me" to "it's us together" that legislation will just be resisted by "the other side" when it's being implemented.

Think of all the law suits an angry Republican minority might bring! (Well, maybe you shouldn't think of them, if you want to be able to sleep tonight!)

I learned a long time ago that -- as wonderful as passing new legislation is -- it's in the implementation of new legislation where a lot of reform efforts die a slow death (with hardly any press coverage of their passing). After all, a bill signing ceremony makes for great news. But tracking new legislation - year after year - to see if it's being implemented? Terrible news. No pictures with the president. Happens over time instead of on a special day.

I trust you get my point here.

The bad news, folks, is that we actually have no choice but to transform our culture. And, yes, I just used the word "we." I didn't say "President Obama." He can lead us. But he can't do it for us. Which -- if you recall -- is how he said it would be during the campaign!!!

If you listen to Barack Obama's acceptance speech (starting at about the 37 min. point) you hear him talking about a new kind of politics. That was the promise of his campaign.

That was his version of "It's the economy, stupid!" He knew that this focus would win the election, because he knew that a transformed political culture was what we wanted ... and what the country needed!

And -- having been in Washington for the inauguration (where I was at both the swearing in ceremony and one of the inaugural balls) -- I can tell you that the promise of this new kind of politics is what really got Barack Obama elected!

We, those who voted for him, elected him to transform our political culture, because we knew -- some consciously and some unconsciously -- that none of our problems would get solved in a lasting way without it!

Still not convinced a transformation is essential, as hard as that sounds? Well, don't take my word for it. Take the word of Paul Krugman, who ended his August 31st column -- "Missing Richard Nixon" -- with the following:

And what about other challenges? Every desperately needed reform I can think of, from controlling greenhouse gases to restoring fiscal balance, will have to run the same gantlet of lobbying and lies.

I'm not saying that reformers should give up. They do, however, have to realize what they're up against. There was a lot of talk last year about how Barack Obama would be a "transformational" president -- but true transformation, it turns out, requires a lot more than electing one telegenic leader. Actually turning this country around is going to take years of siege warfare against deeply entrenched interests, defending a deeply dysfunctional political system.

"...true transformation... requires a lot more than electing one telegenic leader."

Absolutely correct. But, Paul (if you happen to be reading this), "years of siege warfare" does not create "true transformation."

Warfare creates revolution. And at the end, you're left with "winners and losers," just like you had at the beginning, where the "losers" look to "fight again some other day."

Transformation, like the classic caterpillar becoming a butterfly, is an evolutionary leap involving the whole system, not a process of one side beating the other side into submission.

The transformation the United States needs, and which candidate Obama ran on (with "Hope" and "Yes, we can" -- not "Health care reform now" -- ringing out across the land), is the final phase of the transformation Abraham Lincoln worked toward when confronted with his Civil War, which is now Barack's Civil War, and ours!

You see, in a very real way, we are still fighting the Civil War. Crazy as that may sound to some, I think that to many the divide we've read about in our history books is a divide we know still exists today. The shooting may have stopped, but the animosities continue.

From everything he said as a candidate, I believe President Obama knows this to be true as well. And he knows he was elected on a promise to do something about it by leading us to work with him to create the transformation that will finally make America a house not divided against itself.

This is a potentially hugely historic moment for America. Not just individual problems, but how the legislative process is conducted throughout the land is on the table because we elected a president who campaigned on just this cultural evolutionary issue!

So, how can this transformation begin?

Well, here's my idea for how it could.

If President Obama has been doing what some people hope -- using a variation on Muhammad Ali's "Rope-A-Dope" tactic to let the Republicans show us exactly what strategy they bring to the legislative process -- he could start Wednesday's speech with the following:

Some of you must be sick and tired of this nonsense. I know the American people who elected me are. They elected me to do the whole country's business. And whether you recognize it or not, they elected you to do the whole country's business as well. Not the business of just certain parts. Because the American people -- the vast majority of them -- love their country: all of it! They don't just love their home towns or their state capitals. They love their beaches, their lakes, their parks.

That's why the beginning of "America the Beautiful" includes the words "America, America... God shed his grace on thee... And crown thy good with brotherhood... From sea to shining sea!"

"From sea to shining sea" not "just where I and people who think like me live."

I think I know that in your heart of hearts all of you wish you could leave the kind of legislative legacy that Senator Ted Kennedy has left. I think that's what you'd like to be known for, what you'd like to be able to tell your grandchildren you did for your country and what you'd like to hear Saint Peter congratulate you for having done when your time in Heaven begins.

I'm sure you all want to go to Heaven; but, frankly, I'm not sure you'll all make it. Because right now, many of you are doing all you can to pit God's children against each other. And that's a violation of the basic principle of Love thy neighbor. Big time!

Well, if you really want to leave a legacy like Senator Kennedy, if you really want to have something positive to show for your time on this Earth, then here's my plan for how we can do this kind of work, togetherwith the help of the American people, for the rest of this year, and the next, and the next, and the next ... slowly getting better at doing so, one day at a time.

And then President Obama would spell out a transformational legislative process proposal -- not policy proposal -- focused on formally building collaboration back into the system. It would be the kind of collaboration that once existed in Washington, when members from opposite sides of the isle would socialize with each other when the day's work was done. Play sports together. Go to cultural events together. Be seen in public together, so that the voters would know that these were friends with "friendly disagreements," not mortal enemies seeking to make the opinions of those on the other side have no validity in the public discourse at all.

And it would be the kind of collaboration that once existed out amongst the American people themselves more than today, too. (Do you remember a time when people really did have a "personal life" and the contribution they made to society was what people focused on?)

This transformational process proposal would be one designed for our crazy, "everyone is a journalist, film maker, and publisher" world (to quote Tom Friedman on yesterday's Meet the Press).

It would be a transformational process proposal founded on the principles of those programs a lot of individuals already use to support them in taking responsibility for their personal behavior, expanded to address issues of national -- not just personal -- character.

You know the kind of programs I'm referring to. For some, these are AA meetings. For others, it's Diversity Training on the job. For others, it's support groups at their place of worship. And to still others, it's the personal effectiveness work popularized by people such as Dr. Stephen Covey in his landmark book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

For those who are angry at the influence big business has on politics, well, big business knows a lot about how to get people from different cultures to work together. (One secret: everyone shares the same overall goals, even if they are working on different parts of what it takes to achieve those larger goals.) So, this initiative would be a way the business world could contribute something positive to how politics across America works, rather than just focusing on lobbying for their own special interests.

President Obama could even enlist the help of certain celebrities to encourage this new behavior.

Just as the President's Council on Physical Fitness always historically included famous fitness experts and athletic heroes, just as Hollywood's First Motion Picture Unit helped the American people learn what they needed to learn to win WWII, an effort to help teach the principles of living in a collaborative culture could be led by a cross-section of Hollywood celebrities and leaders in the field of personal and sociological development.

This initiative could operate under a newly constituted President's Council on Legislative Effectiveness, which would combine the spirit of the President's Council on Physical Fitness with the organizational effectiveness principles championed by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program (which President Reagan launched in 1988).

Now, if you think this idea is crazy (or just really unreasonable), here's a clip of one of Hollywood's most popular figures talking about just such a collaborative vision for America:

While this clip is about 10 years old, I have a feeling that Tom Hanks would be happy to help America do this if he were asked. Don't you?

And -- given Tom's love of the space program -- I've just discovered that former Astronaut Ed Gibson (who worked with Tom on the movie Apollo 13) does motivational speeches on the subject. I'm happy to see that a legacy of the space program is that there are real American heroes who are willing to help motivate us to discover that we have the right stuff to do what needs to be done to make our country work.

I'm looking forward to President Obama's speech Wednesday night. That morning, he'll be speaking at Walter Cronkite's public memorial. I think this will help him get in the mood for telling Congress -- and the rest of us -- "the way it is:" and the way it can be, if we work together to transform our culture.

We can become the "one America" we've been aiming to be since the authors of the Declaration of Independence ended that document with the sentence...

And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

Follow Steven G. Brant on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SteveBrant

Comments

[NordicSci]

“Transformation, like the classic caterpillar becoming a butterfly, is an evolutionary leap involving the whole system, not a process of one side beating the other side into submission­.”

It’s interesting to contrast Brant’s (above) view with Michael Brenner’s from yesterday. Where Brenner claims Obama suffers from the “Gen Xr’s” dispassion and lack of conviction, Brant reminds us that Obama’s conviction has always been one of transforming the political culture in America -- that we can transform our politics, a few clearly seen in his 2004 DNC speech. What Brenner (and many who complain on left) is that Obama just doesn't vew politics through the traditional left-right lens the way so many of us rely on to keep our political bearings.

Though Brant didn’t bring this up, Obama's view also comes through in his book “Dreams from my Father”. How many of you have actually read it? And how many have thought about the character and vision of the young man who wrote so insightfully about our common humanity while exploring his own divided identity. If there is one thing that comes through clearly in Dreams, it’s that Obama doesn’t subscribe to the politics of one side beating the other into submission.

[TerrapinCB]

Another good article by Matt Taibbi on this very subject from 9/3/2009 Rolling Stone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/29988909/sick_and_wrong/

[lafrance]

It's all well and good to talk transforming and the political culture but, you have to have both sides working. Not just one.
The republicans threw a major fit over losing and are still having their tantrum. They, like most spoiled brats, refuse to listen, to deal in a honest manner or in good faith. All they care about is the culture of self and selfishness.
I hear the traditional media reaming Obama daily for not 'keeping his promise of bipartisanship' but, never, ever do you hear the media talk about the republicans, their horrid behavior and their ongoing racist rants and hate towards this president.

[Steven G. Brant - Huffpost Blogger]

Please see my reply to "blueollie". I basically agree with you.

When you use the formal principles of democracy.­.. and combine that with the organizational development process advocated by (for example) the Baldrige National Quality Program... you get a process that offers all players a way to "step up to the plate" and act like adults.

One key: the teaching of character-based (rather than personality-based) principles as presented in resources such as "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". These "habits" are highly ethical and personal integrity oriented. Anyone who says "I'm not interested in personal integrity" has essentially disqualified themselves from public service. After all, America is not in the habit of letting corrupt people hold public office.

The classic "personal integrity" statement is "Freedom of speech does not give you permission to yell 'Fire!' in a crowded theater just because you feel like doing so."

That kind of "behavioral line in the sand" is part of my proposal.

[blueollie]

Nonsense. There is principled opposition to the health care proposal, but much of it is complete and utter nonsense; you can't really discuss strategy or negotiate with the mentally ill.

Sometimes you just need to let the opposition throw its tantrum and do what you see fit; I have no desire to find common ground with someone whose idea of utopia is the gilded age.

[Steven G. Brant - Huffpost Blogger]

I agree. Much of this "principled opposition" is based on nonsense. It's saying "No" without thinking about what you're saying "No" to. (You can get a little child to say "No, I don't want any ice cream" if you catch that child in a particularly strong, you-can't-make-me mood.

I am NOT suggesting negotiating with adults who are literally acting like little children. Such adults need to demonstrate they can "act like adults"... demonstrate they know how to use the formally recognized principles of democratic (small "d") decision making.

For an excellent presentation on what those principles are, look for the actor Richard Dreyfuss's talk on the subject. He spent 2 or 3 years at Oxford studying democracy, because he decided that advocating the use of those principles - by all people regardless of political party - was what he wanted to devote his time to.

What he talks about is about democracy as practiced by mature adults... not as held captive by a bunch of adults who refuse to use (a) reason and (b) logic (just two of those principles) in the conduct of their actions.

[huff poster23]

Great, another distraction toward getting health care reform passed.

[Steven G. Brant - Huffpost Blogger]

What you define as a "distraction" I define as "beyond saying something should be done (which is what passing a law technically is) to what it takes to actually have something new happen".

Maybe you've never heard someone say "Do this" and then done something else, but that's what happens in America all the time. And there's no way I want the American people to see health care reform legislation pass and think that's all there is to it. Years and years of lawsuits after than signing will just further divide an America that's still pretty split.

We MUST end - once and for all - the Civil War that's existed in various forms since Lincoln was president!

[huff poster23]

I guess i'm just more optimistic that we can pass health care reform and then actually do it without further dividing america. And i see health care reform as a step toward transforming our culture to one like you are describing; we are in the fight toward one america right now but victory will come in baby steps.

[ALMiles]

I agree 100%. Tranfroming the country is the real issue.
Not an easy feat considering most Americans get their information from televison "news type programs" that are really nothing more than cleverly disguised infomercials wrapped neatly in the American flag.
To transform the country we must start by addressing truth in media & the role TV pundits, lobbyist, special interest groups & others play in blurring the lines between fact, personal opinion & the self-serving interests of big business capitalism gone amuck.

[AntonioSosa]

As we can see, Obama and his accomplices will subject everyone to even more lies, manipulation, intimidation and coercion to force us to swallow Obamacare.

Fortunately, thinking Americans understand that Obamacare (as “public option,” “co-op,” or whatever names they use to manipulate us) has NOTHING to do with improving our health care system.

Obamacare is just another scam, another power grab that would further destroy our health care, destroy our economy, steal money from our children and grandchildren, multiply our deficit, and enslave us through lies, manipulation, intimidation and coercion.

Imitating Hugo Chavez, Obama wants to nationalize everything, including our health care system! "Hey, Obama has just nationalized nothing more and nothing less than General Motors. Comrade Obama!" Chavez cheered on Venezuelan TV. He added that he and Cuba's Fidel Castro would now have to work harder just to keep up.
http://www.hacer.org/report/2009/06/us-obamas-red-chorus-investors-business.html

[Steve Brant]

(Part One)

Hmmm... "Obama wants to nationalize everything­..."

Well, if all you're going to do is assert something without there being any facts to back up that assertion, I'm not really sure how to respond.

But I'll try this. Why don't you watch this 10 minute video of Sen. Al Franken talking about health care reform with voters in his home state (some of whom agree with him and some of whom don't)...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/04/franken-calms-down-health_n_277687.html

Yes, I know I'm asking you to spend 10 minutes taking in new information rather than repeating what you already believe is true... but that's called "having a dialogue with someone". In a dialogue, you do some listening.­.. with an open mind... where the aim is to learn about the other person's point of view.

Sen. Franken (who - in the interest of transparency - I'll say I've met several times and supported during his recount contest) knows that what President Obama ultimately signs is not going to be "government take-over of health care". But he also knows that a health care system that puts making money ahead of healing people when they are sick is not the American way.

[Steve Brant]

(Part Two)

You may disagree with me on this, but my interpretation of the "American way" (as stated in the last sentence of the Declaration of Independence) is that we are all supposed to collaborate for the good of the whole country. The Founding Fathers did not intend America to be a "one group against another group" nation. They may have gotten a poor start at doing this initially, but that's okay. We're meant to be a "learning culture".

And so... let's LEARN FROM EACH OTHER... rather than leveling charges that don't have an ounce of truth to them.

I hope you enjoy watching Sen. Franken. You'll see a man who is patently explaining the situation without denying that various people have different points of view about what reforming health care should ultimately look like.

[treetracker]

Yes, we indeed are all in the same boat. It's just some of us are bailing, while others are drilling holes. Depending on who you talk to, it will be one side or the other.

But one point I'd like to make is that many of these (so-called) Representatives do mingle with one another off the state stage. They take trips together to various locations, and often refer to each other in interviews as "my friend whom I have great respect for..."

To me it's a whole lot of kabuki theater. What ever looks good to the constituents back home to pander to them.

And while I appreciate the need for this, the one thing in the equation that sinks the boat is the huge pile of money being handed out by the lobbyists that is weighing down and sinking the boat.

You fix that problem, you might have success with the idealistic "yes we can" approach.

[treetracker]

Oh, and, yes, we are still fighting the Civil War. And it's quite possible with the current rhetoric being used we'll soon be fighting in the streets.

Very, very sad for America and Americans.

I am reminded of a letter a cousin found, written by her ancestor on July 4, 1861 shortly after the out break of the Civil War. She wrote:

near Platte City July 4th/61

Dear Father,
I received your letter some time since and now take my seat to have a chat with you. And do you believe I asked what day of the month it was here a true American asking what day of the month it is on that day which every person ought to love, isn't it to bad. Today is a beautiful day. I expect it will be celebrated by the people of the North but it is very doubtful as to the patriotic sourtheners celebrating it. How sad, how very sad that our country, our own loved Country should be so ruined. I am sad and unhappy to see this fearful time. I must tell you that I am no secessionest, no oh no, nor is Uncle John nor

con't

[treetracker]

Part 2

Uncle Jimmie Craven but there are so many secessionests around here. I think if we remain as we are I see nothing, nothing but ruin before us. I have some faint hopes though that this great difficulty may be settled. I do not put my trust in large armies, north or south but in him who presides over the destinies of nations. Let our fervent earnest prayer be to him that our nation may arise to its former happiness and prosperity that this people may again be united in heart and hand.

[dhinds]

Antonio Sosa wrote:

"Fortunately, thinking Americans understand that Obamacare (as “public option,” “co-op,” or whatever names they use to manipulate us) has NOTHING to do with improving our health care system.

Obamacare is just another scam, another power grab that would further destroy our health care, destroy our economy, steal money from our children and grandchildren, multiply our deficit, and enslave us through lies, manipulation, intimidation and coercion.

Imitating Hugo Chavez, Obama wants to nationalize everything, including our health care system!

Pure Lies, estupideces. Not something a sane person would say. You couldn't possibly expect anyone to believe it.

The facts don't support your boring, delusional claims, for which you present absolutely no substantial foundation.

Get mental health care. Obama will help you get well. Don't bite a helping hand.

[ketchupandfries]

Excellent post! Whenever I tell friends that the United States of America is still fighting the Civil War, I get mostly amused and incredulous stares. But, it's true. The old animosities lurk just below the surface for a goodly number of people. Those animosities have been re-awakened and tapped on purpose to garner lots of voters. The anger over President Obama's existence is largely responsible for the extremely venomous response to anything that he does. The health care reform debacle is serving as a proxy war against him. By contrast, if this country declared war tomorrow on Iran or Libya or --pick a country -- there would not be any hesitation on the part of many people to support such a war because of budgetary concerns. Virtually no one would ask if we could afford it. Invading yet another country would present a chance to reaffirm American military dominance and to show a miscreant nation who's boss. How badly misplaced are our national priorities!

[Marygra]

Providing health care for all IS "It's us together!" (I'll be kind and not refer to you as stupid as you did to our President to try to look clever at the President's expense. So much for "us together".­)

[Steven G. Brant - Huffpost Blogger]

You obviously have no idea of the context in which I'm using the word "stupid". I recommend you check out "The War Room" ( the documentary of Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign ) I mention early on. If you do, you will learn that the Clinton campaign called itself "stupid" in order to shock itself - literally on a daily basis - into staying on track with the issue it was focused on.
Perhaps you have never looked in the mirror and said "Hey, dummy, make sure you don't forget (fill in the blank)!" Well, that's what the Clinton campaign (including Bill Clinton, as the "message deliverer in chief") said to themselves­... regularly!
Thanks for pointing out to me that there are people out there who don't know this reference. But I can't help but think that if you had read my essay thoroughly, you would have understood where I'm coming from... that I am not insulting President Obama. I am truly to make sure he hasn't forgotten why we elected him... hasn't lost track of what the core issue was.... and then giving him a way to fulfill on the promise he made during the campaign.

[Steve Brant]

Sorry. Where I wrote "I am truly to make sure he hasn't forgotten.­.." I should have written "I am trying to make sure..."

[benjaminblue]

Another thing that didn't make the list is holding George Bush and his crooked cabal accountable.

So criminals across the land still believe that, if Dubya could break the law and get away with it, they, too, need not answer to anyone.

When President Obama becomes forceful, demonstrating clearly that the rules still apply, the Republicans will snivel away, and the rest of the miscreants will understand that they, too, must fall into line and honor our system of justice.

[panurg16]

"it's all of us working together for the good of the nation"
This is the favorite slogan of fascists & communists. Guess who will determine "the good of the nation"...

[Steven G. Brant - Huffpost Blogger]

Who will determine the good of the nation is "we, the people" as the Founding Fathers intended. And we may call on experts from time to time, because you don't ask a doctor to design a high-speed rail system and don't ask an engineer to design a way to teach children to read. Check out the Baldrige National Quality Program. That will show you the formal, continuous learning and improvement process I'm talking about.

[lovesds]

Hell the founding fathers counted some of us as 3/5 of a person.

[PlaceboStudman]

You're right, this is about the culture, not about health care. This is about a culture who values a few scraps of paper and ink more than they value their own lives. If we really cared more about life and death and reducing suffering, then we would be talking about medicine, not money. As it is, so long as we only talk about reforming insurance, we are putting the value of money over the value of human life