Restoring Our Value of Acting for the Common Good

Door County Civility Project

by Orlaine I. Gabert

Recently a friend recommended that I read The Common Good by Robert Reich. He is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California-Berkeley and a senior fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economics, and he had served as secretary of labor under President Clinton from 1993 to 1997. Time named him one of the most effective cabinet secretaries of the 20th century. He has written at least 15 books; several have been on the best-seller list.

Reich’s premise is that we have lost the value of the common good that our forefathers left us. He defines the common good as our shared values about what we owe to one another as citizens who are bound together in the same society. These include a commitment to fundamental ideals and principles: respect for the rule of law and democratic institutions, tolerance of our differences, and belief in equal political rights and equal opportunity. This is clearly stated in the Preamble of our Constitution: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Noting the words in capital letters, they clearly meant what they said.

Realistically, we know that not all were included to have these rights, yet over time, the common good increasingly included the majority of the people. As a teenager, I remember the words of John F. Kennedy in his inaugural speech in 1961: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” He was reminding each of us that we, too, had a responsibility to maintain the common good. In the following 10 years, we saw legislation that expanded human rights and groups standing up for others.

Somehow in the 1970s, a change began to occur with the shift to me. We have a “whatever it takes to win” political philosophy. Policies have been passed to allow huge amounts of money to be given to candidates to support only their viewpoints. Lobbyists have had the same increase to keep that support. Consequently, little gets done as each side can support only its own views. The checks and balances in our Constitution are not working because the branches of government simply refuse to do their jobs.

In the business world, we have “whatever it takes to maximize profits.” Previously, big businesses had not only responsibilities to their shareholders to consider, but also the well-being of their workers, customers and communities. In 2010, Mike Douglas – as Gordon Gekko – stated, “Greed is good.” This philosophy has allowed so many to manipulate regulations to bring them great wealth at the cost of the rest.

The press has also bought into that policy of making money: Negative news sells.

For Reich, it was imperative that we, as a country, find our way back to the common-good value, and he had some suggestions about what needs to be done.

Before addressing these, I feel it is important that I emphasize several points. First and foremost, I know that there are many of us who still believe and act every day for the common good. Communities help each other every day. The tragedy is that me/greed/anything goes is the prevailing message that we hear and see on a daily basis through our mass and immediate media. A message of the common good is not spoken. Consequently, we are moving further away from the common good.

Reich’s first suggestion is that “Leadership must entail trusteeship.” Our president, legislators, judges and heads of business and media are stewards of our Preamble. Their goal is not to win or get their way, but it is to serve. As citizens, we need to insist that their job is to secure the common good.

Reich says we also need to abide by our laws and values, and honor those who are doing what our forefathers intended. Those who are not doing that need to be appropriately shamed, not merely slapped on the hand or – worse – honored. Right and wrong need to be clear.

Finally, Reich advocates civic education for all. Education appears to not be giving our young people that civic virtue and education needed to protect our common good.

I would encourage you to read this book and then let not only our leaders, but also your family, friends and neighbors know that you want our country to protect the common good and civility.