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Radical
Pragmatism
Will
Marshall, a
national Democratic reformer,
advocates a practical, problem-solving approach to
governance. His principles apply to Virginia as
well as the nation.
Will
Marshall’s
goal back in the 1980s, a period of Republican
ascendancy in the White House, was getting a
Democrat elected as president. With other
like-minded moderates, he helped found the
Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) to anchor his
party in the political mainstream. Then in 1989,
his determination to compete more effectively in
the battle of political ideas prompted the launch
of the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI).
Now
as president of PPI, Marshall is itching to recapture what he calls “the
unprecedented progress of the 1990s” by making
the Democratic Party more competitive and winning
elections again. As “Exhibit A,” he offers
Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas,
who chaired the DLC before winning the first of
two terms as president. But Marshall’s
address this week to the Northern Virginia
Democratic Business Council captured the ongoing
challenge for both major political parties at
every level of government.
“Some
call the Progressive Policy Institute centrist,”
Marshall
told the business and political leaders in
attendance, “but what we really champion is
radical pragmatism.”
Pragmatism
as a political philosophy means testing the
validity of policies and actions first and
foremost by their practical results. Effective
action and problem-solving, not slavish adherence
to high-minded, theoretical principles are the
goals. Translated into baseball, pragmatism is
that that combination of skills and action that
"gets the job done." Translated into business, it’s
the focus on effectiveness and efficiency that
creates business success.
Though
it is an “ism,” pragmatism represents a
180-degree turn from ideologies of all sorts –
liberalism, conservatism, libertarianism (insert
your favorite here). The latter are pre-structured
frameworks of beliefs that typically force
adherents to ignore facts and results that don’t
fit what they already believe. Since the framework
is an artifact of history, it reflects the past.
Ideologies, indeed all belief systems, have
difficulty adapting to the present and making
sense of the future.
The
strength of pragmatic action, therefore, surpasses
its focus on solving specific problems.
Pragmatism, more than any other political
philosophy, embraces change as situations and
results demand it. Pragmatism is what should
emerge over time from democratic elections,
representative government and the separation of
powers. Democratic systems should produce
political leaders who represent people and
problem-solving more than parties and ideologies.
Pragmatism matches perfectly the needs of the
dynamic, knowledge-based, technology-driven New
Economy.
What
does this mean for politics in the present, much
less the future? By Marshall’s
analysis, Republicans and Democrats were dead even
in 2000, but Republicans moved to about five
points up in 2002. However, President George W.
Bush, polls cited by Marshall
suggest, remains a highly polarizing figure who
raises serious questions in the minds of swing and
independent voters.
The
Marshall
prescription, therefore, is for Democrats to
improve their ideas for America
in four areas – national strength, economic
growth, mainstream values and government reform.
New ideas that solve problems in these areas, he
maintains, would allow Democrats to capitalize on
doubts among voters who refuse to place partisanship above pragmatism. Not surprisingly,
the same challenge applies to the Republican
Party.
National
strength starts with defense and homeland
security, but over time demands strong education,
transportation and communications networks.
Economic growth requires more open and competitive
markets. A complex, dynamic society requires the
values of tolerance, accommodation and adjustments
to the mainstream. And old government programs
that don’t work must give way to more innovative
and effective approaches.
Radical
pragmatism doesn’t mean that Marshall, the DLC
or PPI are above principle. The Technology and New
Economy Project he shares with Rob Atkinson, to
the contrary, put ten “rules of the road” in
place back in 1999 after deliberations by a task
force of business and political leaders that
included then businessman Mark Warner. Most are
worth repeating four years later.
Spur
innovation to raise living standards.
Invest
in knowledge and skills.
Grow
the Internet.
Open
regulated markets to competition.
Empower
people with information.
Replace
bureaucracies with networks.
But
even these principles demand attention to results.
Why, for example, does it make sense to reduce
government revenues at a time when more spending
certainly will be required for growing enrollments
in higher education, retiring baby boomers
claiming Social Security, a better equipped
fighting force and more intelligence, police, fire
and health workers? Most citizens are looking for
pragmatic, workable answers to such questions.
Just answering that taxes are too high or taxes
are too low begs the question.
Republicans
and Democrats in Virginia
are no different than members of any other
political party in cyclical attempts to elevate or
drown their most pragmatic members. Primary
elections, such as those scheduled June 10, favor
ideologically pure appeals to the party faithful,
particularly in districts packed to give one party
a measurable advantage. General elections, like
those to be held Nov. 4, encourage pragmatic
appeals to independent swing voters who decide
close elections.
Citizens
need political leaders who embrace radical
pragmatism. The first challenge is getting past
the constrictive nature of primary elections and
the temptation to make partisan control of a
legislative body the ultimate goal. The second is
seeking out like-minded colleagues, regardless of
party. The third, as cited by Will Marshall, is
developing innovative approaches to the issues of
American strength, economic growth, values and
government reform.
--
June
9, 2003
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