Political forum urges candidates andcitizens to move beyond partisanship
Presidential candidates should take a hard look at the long-term problems facing America and make the right policy choices without regard to party lines, according to 17 members of a bipartisan panel assembled at a University of Oklahoma forum Monday morning.
"We must ask the candidates to present a strategy for a unified consensus," said OU President David Boren, co-host of the event, to the crowd of about 1,000 in Sharp Concert Hall at OU.
The political leaders flew into Norman Sunday and met that night and for a private breakfast at the Boyd House Monday morning. They discussed a statement, circulated beforehand, and formed the final draft that was read at a public discussion and press conference 11 a.m. Monday.
The hall was packed with national media, OU students and faculty and local residents. The audience was enthusiastic, giving the panel members a standing ovation before they said anything.
The forum was organized to appeal to presidential candidates to tell the American people how they plan to unite the country once again. The appeal seemed heartfelt.
"Bring us together," Boren shouted passionately in his opening remarks. "Bring us together! Bring us together and the American people will assure our future."
Then the statement was read by former Sen. Sam Nunn, co-host of the event, and members of the panel commented on its themes. The statement painted a picture of a nation in crisis, listing the problems of energy, medical insurance and security among others.
"These critical issues are uniquely interlocked and we must have a national strategy and prioritization of resources," Nunn read. "We are failing to address them because rampant partisanship has paralyzed the ability of our government to act."
Instead of tackling those tough problems, politicians are taking the easy way out and only reacting to problems when they reach a critical mass, said Mark White, a former Texas governor.
"The government owes the American people more than an energy bill that says we should change our light bulbs in four years," he said. "We're a better nation than that."
But the call for bipartisanship was not just for presidential candidates, Boren said.
"This is really an appeal to the American people, and an appeal to the media as well," he said.
All the talk of moderation and bipartisanship today won't amount to anything unless the American public responds to the call, he said.
Responding to a question from the audience, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it looks like America may already be responding.
The results of the Iowa caucus show that voters are supporting candidates calling for bipartisanship. If a few candidates are doing that now, perhaps more will realize that's what it takes to get elected, Bloomberg said.
"I hope that all the candidates say to themselves, 'The public is tired with the partisanship and the special interests, and if I'm gonna get elected I'm gonna stand up and say what I believe, face the big issues, hold myself accountable,'" Bloomberg said.
Americans need to demand that candidates give specific solutions to the problems facing the country, he said. Citizens need to ask tough questions and demand solutions based on what will work, not party affiliation, he said.
"What we want is for people to be selected for government based on competency," Bloomberg said.
It will take citizens stepping up to their responsibilities as members of the United States for such a change to take place. Most of America has been marginalized in American politics, former Sen. Jack Danforth said. Instead, political parties focus on their more extreme base voters, because they are the most outspoken. Now moderate Americans don't feel the government reflects their views, Danforth said.
"So it's not that we're some group of 17 judges sitting up here, it's a question of whether what we are saying resonates with the American people, and whether people at the center of the political spectrum are going to be more outspoken in demanding the politicians come together," Danforth said.
Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey and administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, made the burden even more personal.
"It's up to us as individual voters to take back the system."
Julianna Parker 366-3541 jparker@normantranscript.com
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