POINT OF CONTACTOur Q&A with University of Oklahoma President David Boren, a former Democratic senator hosting a bipartisan summit Monday
Michael Bloomberg's attending this "national unity" meeting at OU, so speculation will abound about New York's mayor becoming a candidate. Are you open to him or any other independent running for president?
While Mayor Bloomberg will be attending, he did not originate the meeting or organize it. It is not a "Bloomberg for President" meeting. Our main goal is to refocus the debate among the current candidates as opposed to promoting an independent candidacy. Hopefully, the two parties and candidates will respond positively.
If they don't, then it might become necessary for an independent candidate to step forward. If that happens, hopefully they would present an appealing alternative to members of both political parties.
What's behind this meeting? You've said you hope it provides some "shock therapy" for the presidential candidates.
Partisan polarization is preventing us from meeting a series of challenges. We desperately need to come together like we did after World War II when Republicans and Democrats worked together to create the Marshall Plan and the containment policy that helped us win the Cold War.
Unfortunately, what we have seen in the presidential election is too much "politics as usual." The candidates are pushing hot buttons on emotional and divisive issues in order to score political points.
Instead, we need leadership that ... seeks to unite us. We need a president who will create an administration with a truly bipartisan Cabinet. And we need bipartisan working groups representing the executive branch and Congress to hammer out a consensus on critical issues.
What issues do you and your fellow centrists want addressed?
We need detailed proposals for rebuilding our approval in the world. Never have U.S. interests been more intertwined with those of the rest of the world. Yet approval of U.S. policies has fallen worldwide by 300 percent in just six years, to its lowest level in history.
Second, continued deficit spending threatens our economic security. It is estimated that within 20 years, spending on entitlements and interest on the national debt will consume all of our current tax revenues. We need detailed proposals for entitlement reform and budgetary discipline.
There are other issues, like energy independence and access to health care. By all indicators, the country's strength is eroding.
No comments:
Post a Comment