A More Perfect Union: A Dialogue on American Values
EmailI hosted a discussion at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on shared American values. It was part of a series of events from the Ford Foundation and Georgetown University, and this particular discussion revolved around the budget and how our values affect our monetary decisions.
I was joined by John DeGioia, president of Georgetown University, Calvin Butts, president of SUNY College at Old Westbury, Juliet Garcia, president of the University of Texas at Brownsville, Michael Gerson, Washington Post columnist, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Maryland’s former Lt. Governor, Michael Nutter, Mayor of Philadelphia, Richard Danzig, former Secretary of the Navy, Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Luis Ubinas, president of the Ford Foundation and Peter Orszag, former director of the Office of Management and Budget.
You can watch part of the event below or CLICK HERE to see the full video.
This portion of our discussion began with the question of whether we are willing to sacrifice and cut back in the present day for the sake of our future?
And here are the final thoughts from our panelists:
–George Stephanopoulos
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What about personal responsibility? Who is responsible for people having multiple babies out of wed lock, people with drug and alcohol problems? Many of these people have chosen to dig themselfs into a hole which they have no way to get out of. It seems that if society has a role in resolving these problems there will need to be tough love to bring these people back from the brink!
Posted by: Common _ Sense | October 19, 2011, 3:36 pm 3:36 pm
Personal responsibility indeed. Since FDR, the federal govt. (read that the democrat party) has tried to re-enslave the American people by making them dependent on government for their needs and wants. They failed to understand that REAL Americans have become more educated,despite their efforts to dumb down public schools and destroy the family and can see that obama and the demos are out to destroy what made America great. Failure, failure, failure obama, biden, pelosi & reid. You all have exposed yourselves.
Posted by: Zman | October 19, 2011, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
COMMON _ SENSE | OCTOBER 19, 2011, 3:36 PM posted: “…people with drug and alcohol problems? Many of these people have chosen to dig themselfs into a hole which they have no way to get out of. It seems that if society has a role in resolving these problems there will need to be tough love to bring these people back from the brink!”
Perhaps you were not aware that Alcoholism has been recognized for years as a primary, chronic, progressive disease. Alcohol and drug abuse have also been linked to mental illnesses.
So, help us understand. How exactly does the simplistic Right Wing mantra of “tough love” and “responsibility” bring American citizens who are physically or mentally ill “back from the brink”?
Posted by: green.goddess | October 19, 2011, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
Of course people are divided almost radically. We are living in fearful times, and not just parochially. The whole world is undergoing a sea change in the dynamics and paradigms of life and most people are xenophobic. It would be highly unusual and potentially dangerous if people weren’t divided and radical in the extreme. We are in the midst of fashioning a new society and economy on a global level. We are living in the times specified in the ancient Asian curse: May you live in times of great change. I see nothing but positive. With the conservative addition of 3 billion people to a capitalist free-market economy, global wealth is about to explode. I can see the eradication of poverty by the end of the century.
Posted by: Diogenes' Lantern | October 19, 2011, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
I haven’t seen values affecting our monetary policies in any positive manner for a long time now. I see a looming disaster for everyone but the very wealthy. I look for an increase in early death due to lack of access to medical care, suicide rates, crime, and sharply increasing poverty in the U.S.
Posted by: whatever | October 22, 2011, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm
Covetousness is the “American value” that the Democrats seem to want to promote. It’s the idea that your money should and does belong to them.
Posted by: Joe White | October 24, 2011, 1:29 am 1:29 am
It’s hilarious seeing Republicans whining about the lack of ‘personal responsibility’ considering their stance against the Individual Mandate in the health care law. Hilarious, and typically hypocritical of them. When their own Party came up with the concept of the Individual Mandate, it was because they stood FOR ‘personal responsibility’. Today? Not anymore. Today, ‘personal responsibility’ is a meaningless two-word term to Republicans………………
Posted by: Searambler | November 1, 2011, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm
“American Values” equals greed. Just look at how government employees are raping the system. Techniques like double-dipping — retiring from one government position and being rehired under a new classification. Now two pensions are paid. How many non-government employed Americans even get a pension. The government is paying two to three generations of payrolls. The argument that the system attracts more qualified individuals is a joke. Have you ever been to the DMV?
Posted by: John F | November 6, 2011, 10:55 am 10:55 am