Well, so much for that prediction. In his inimitable "I'm pretty sure I won't, but maybe I will, although now that I think about it I'm not" way, John Kitzhaber backed away from the political podium and redevoted himself to his public passion--fixing health care:
[H]ealth – not health care, but health – is the first rung on the ladder of opportunity; it is the cornerstone of a democratic society; allowing people to fully participate, to be productive, and to take advantage of the opportunities of upward mobility that lie at the heart of the American Dream.
Yet today those opportunities are being stifled for millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Oregonians who cannot afford the cost of needed medical care, living in constant fear -- one illness away from personal bankruptcy. Health care is the fastest growing cost for both families and businesses, eroding wages and posing a significant barrier to economic growth.
It is also compromising our ability to invest in other social priorities -- further undermining our system of public education which offers the best hope for success and meaningful civic engagement for the fastest-growing portions of the American population.
The cost of health care is also the major driver behind our national debt – the dark legacy we leave to our children. While Congress is preoccupied with the $5 trillion Social Security gap, Medicare – when the baby boom generation retires -- represents over $65 trillion in unfunded entitlements. And this staggering debt is being financed by China and other countries still willing to purchase U.S. securities. We are literally handing our financial future over to our major international competitors, putting at risk the independence and self determination which lie at the heart of our national identity.
I certainly would have supported his bid, and figured that someone who repeatedly flirts with the political limelight like he does, would eventually find himself back in the ring. But listening to what he says, I feel much better that he's NOT running--he's the real deal:
There is no question but that running as a candidate for Governor –as well as holding the office itself – offers a powerful forum in which to advance this cause. Indeed, the media interest in -- and coverage of -- the health care issue has increased dramatically over the past few weeks alone. And we seem to have quite a few representatives from the media assembled here this morning.
On the other hand, our politics today have become largely transactional – “lower my taxes and I will vote for you;” “give me prescription drug coverage and I will vote for you.” And it works the other way around as well – “vote for me and I will cut your taxes;” “vote for me and I will fund schools first.” The problem is that these transactions are all about “me” – and have nothing to do with “us.” They are all about what I can get, not what I can give. They neither foster a sense of the larger public interest; nor do they do advance the common good.
And the fact is that we cannot solve the crisis in our health care system – or in our school system or in our economy or our environment – through this kind of transactional politics because they erode any sense of common purpose and foster the belief that if we can just elect a new governor; a different legislature or a different congress – all our problems will be taken care of. And that is simply not true.
These problems – and especially the crisis in our health care system – cannot be solved without taking some risks, which means they will not be solved by relying solely on a political process which is set up to reward people who play it safe – who ask at every decision point “which transaction offers the safest path to retain my position?”
That means that if we want anything to happen we are going to have to make it happen ourselves. It means that the responsibility to find a sustainable solution does not, in fact, belong to someone else. It belongs to us – to you and me and to people in communities throughout this state and nation. We are not powerless here and should not be without hope. We are limited only by the scope of our imagination and by the depth of our commitment to one another.
Clearly this man's head is screwed on far too well, and is far too focused on one issue, to waste him on the political process. I'm shaking my head now, wondering why on earth I wanted him to be sullied by another run. His energies are far better directed to his passion and expertise, and the Archimedes Movement is bound to be worthy of the name under his leadership.
But I'm going to hang onto the phrase "transactional politics," because it perfectly encapsulates the entire pay-for-play system we suffer under now. The shallow view of Abramoffukah is that politicians have put themselves up for sale and lobbyists are pounding on the doors to buy, like parents at Toys R Us waiting for them to open on Black Friday. But Kitz is right--it goes beyond that, to the way that politicians succor favor from ordinary voters by promising tax breaks or special projects in their neighborhood, and the way that voters expect a specific tangible benefit from their vote as opposed to solid but generic leadership.
So Ted gets an easier shot at another term, and while he's clearly breathing a sigh of relief [reg may be reqd], hopefully he took a minute to think about Kitzhaber's reasoning and will ask himself how he can disengage from transactional politics and--essentially--make himself too good for his job. We can only hope.
--TJ
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