On May 25, 1961, a young dashing President made a pledge to the American people. His commitment to land a man on the moon before that decade was out excited the nation, capturing its imagination and energy. Congress and the voters voiced their acclaim, and a plan moved forward.
On January 24, 1994, another young, dashing President made a pledge to the American people. He committed his administration, and his word, to guaranteed, private, health insurance for all of the citizens of the United States. He even vowed his veto upon any legislation from Congress that failed to do so. A good deal of Congress and the voters voiced their acclaim, and a plan moved forward.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your political views, that second, young, dashing President has broken his word.
And it seems that with that word, a lot of hope in government was broken as well. In 1961, President Kennedy could make a grand pledge. A pledge that moved technology, education and U.S. industry forward, while at the same time igniting the hope and imagination of the American public. Hope not only in its government, but in its country, as well. He did not back down, and neither did Presidents Johnson or Nixon who came after him. And on July 20, 1969, Apollo II landed on the moon, in the Sea of Tranquillity, and the promise, the word of a president, had become complete.
It is hard to argue that the 1960's were a simpler time in America, yet in the political realm they may have been. There was less cynicism toward the plan of a president to land a man on the moon then, than there is toward the plan of a president to guarantee health care for all Americans now. For the polls, media attention and election-driven politics that shape Washington today have made it virtually impossible for any President to commit the United States to a goal. Both Republicans and Democrats cannot set the nation in a certain direction without something leading that direction adrift.
President Clinton gave in to political expediency on Tuesday. By reverting from his goal of universal coverage, he once again waffled and wavered, and set policy from the polls. Yet more importantly he moved away from yet another pledge to the American public, further diminishing its hope in government, and again breaking his word. It has become a habit of President Clinton's, on his gays in the military stance, on his Haiti policy and on his middle class tax cut. He has shaped policy from popular opinion, and broken his pledges to the American people.
It is unfortunate that the pledges of politics today do not carry the same weight as the pledge of 1961. It is also unfortunate that Bill Clinton and his Presidency have highlighted an important trend in Washington-- the loss of political backbone.
Maybe compromise is the art of politics, but it has begun to lead to government by retreat and the loss of hope in it. I suppose that's Washington today and that's politics today. I also suppose that that's unfortunate.
