Where in the previous chapter Barack wrote about the deep divide that exists in our country, in the next chapter he shows how a value-based consensus may be won. Barack begins Chapter Two with an anecdote about meeting President Bush during his first year in Congress. There was a moment when they shared a laugh and told stories. The point being, that yes, even Bush is human. But seriously, even though it may sound crazy, Bush is doing what he believes is best for our country.
The problem with today's politics is that opposing viewpoints are painted red or blue without any possibility of compromise. Most issues are not that simple. Most issues cannot be neatly packaged into sound-bites.
However, though we may have differences in opinion, most of us share the same values: decency, competency, charity, honesty, drive, discipline, temperance, hard work, good manners, thrift, and personal responsibility. And we easily take for granted the two values that this nation was founded on: liberty and equality. If we appeal to this, we can win the day. We must not allow Republicans to win the values debate.
If Democrats continue to abdicate talk on faith and religion, the Republicans will continue to win more elections. I encourage all Obama supporters to read his Call to Renewal Keynote Address, where he talks about reconciling faith and politics.
Barack also writes about the “empathy deficit” (page 67):
“I believe a stronger sense of empathy would tilt the balance of our current politics in favor of those people who are struggling in this society. After all, if they are like us, then their struggles are our own. If we fail to help, we diminish ourselves.”
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