A New Attitude for the New Year
I Have two observatIons in the wake of the presidential elec-
tion. First, all the negative political ads contributed nothing to the de-
bate over debt, unemployment, health care, tax policy, energy policy,
infrastructure, social security, Medicare, or any other of america’s
pressing issues. second, Democrats and republicans each must stop
the partisan rancor. Congress and the country need to understand that
people with differing views are not the enemy—they are merely people
with differing views.
In his latest book on Lyndon Johnson,
The Passage of Power, Robert Caro de-
scribes the difficulties Johnson faced as
he desperately tried to maintain a func-
tioning government in the immediate
aftermath of the Kennedy assassina-
tion. He was surrounded by people who
had openly derided him when he was
vice president (ridiculing his appear-
ance and southern drawl and calling
him Rufus Cornpone behind his back),
but Johnson recognized that he needed
these people in his administration. In
pleading with them to stay, he appealed
to their patriotism, asking them to put
their personal and philosophical differ-
ences aside so that America could move
forward. Everyone remained, even those
who previously had told Johnson they
would not stay. They put country above
personal prejudice.
The space program is an example of
our enormous national potential when
people work together. Neil Armstrong
walked on the moon within 10 years of
President Kennedy’s announcement of
that objective. There was minimal obstruction by those who objected to the
ultimate goal or had a different plan to
get there. There was surprisingly little
debate over cost. The Apollo training accident was not used as an opportunity to
derail the program, and the entire country mourned that tragedy. Americans of
all political persuasions supported the
program and were united in cheering its
successes.
As we move forward into 2013, we
should demand that our newly elected
legislators turn the page and find some
common ground. Let’s not confuse
change with progress, but let’s also not
confuse deadlock with success.
I must confess that I’ve been guilty of
this attitude for the past few years. I’ve
gotten my political information from a
couple of cable channels, one of which
has a declared slant. I read one admittedly biased daily newspaper and one fairly
neutral weekly magazine. Is it any wonder that I’ve viewed elections through a
distorted lens?
On the other hand, I’ve enjoyed periodic conversations during the past four
years with someone who is my political
polar opposite. We’ve argued and defended our positions strenuously, yet we
have remained friends despite our differences. I always look forward to getting
together, and lately I’ve begun to better
understand his positions and, as a result,
reconsider some of mine.
Most of us traditionally review the
past year around New Year’s, and resolve
to make some improvements in our lives.
We resolve to lose weight, to exercise
more, to eat healthier, to keep in closer
touch with loved ones, to contribute more
to our 401(k)s—the list goes on and on.
This year, I’m adding a more unusual
New Year’s resolution to my list—to expand my sources of information. Will
it be difficult to watch the other cable
channel and read different periodicals?
Yes, it will be difficult, but that’s the nature of growth. I resolve to change my
viewing and reading habits so that I can
understand opposing positions, not just
find the flaws in them.
That’s my New Year’s resolution,
along with losing weight and exercising
more. What’s your resolution?
ROBERT J. RIETZ, a fellow of the
society of actuaries and a member
of the academy, is retired from
Deloitte Consulting llP and lives near
asheville, n.C.
bIgstoCk
56 CONTINGENCIES JAN | FEB. 13
