Reasons for hope
An American flag flies in Woodstock, Vermont, on the Fourth of July. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Even with all the tension in the world today, the thing that gives U.S. Rep. Peter Welch the most hope is seeing Vermonters help Vermonters.
For example, there are 1,300 volunteers working with local agencies in Franklin County to get meals to people in need, Welch said Thursday, speaking during a “Future of Democracy” panel hosted by the Cornell Institute of Politics and Global Affairs. Responding to questions from listeners, panelists noted the importance of taking action at the local level to build the unity the country needs.
“That community engagement, it's there, and it gives me great hope," Welch said.
Vermont’s lone congressman joined U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, of California; former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, of Tennessee; and the former U.S. Ambassador to India, Tim Roemer, of Indiana; for the discussion led by former U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, of New York, on behalf of Cornell University.
Concern about the vote was a major theme, and Wamp and Roemer spoke about the organization they helped form, the National Council on Election Integrity. It’s “a bipartisan group of political, government, and civic leaders united around protecting the integrity of our elections,” according to its website, counteveryvote.org. Wamp, a Republican, and Roemer, a Democrat, put their longstanding working relationship to good use for this new organization, just as they did when they served in Congress together.
“Zach and I have a lot of disagreements on policy ... but one thing we will go to the mat on, and fight for our lives on, is the right to vote and to count every vote," Roemer said.
He said the National Council on Election Integrity encourages patience while the votes are counted, staying peaceful as a nation, and allowing Constitutional processes to take place. The group plans a robust advertising campaign in the days following Nov. 3 to encourage these principles.
Part of this effort is encouraging people to get behind civility and societal norms that have been tossed aside in recent years. Wamp said the divisive impact of big money in politics, most notable now in negative campaign ads, must be dealt with after the election passes.
“Our republic unravels if we do not have a set of norms and values that we all respect,” he said.
Those norms and values have been further challenged through the realm of social media, where misinformation has spread out into the larger society, faster than ever before. This has led Welch to ask whether some federal regulatory oversight is needed for social media companies. He noted it’s tougher than ever to have an actual debate within the bounds of fact. The pandemic has been an example of that, he pointed out, with some people distrusting confirmed scientific information.
“We find ourselves in the public sphere really arguing about conspiracy theories,” Welch said, citing the growing “sewer of misinformation.” He added, “There really is a business model that amplifies that: more hits, more advertising revenue.”
He acknowledged a regulatory debate in that realm would be a difficult one.
“Once you get into a free speech question, it's very fraught, but what we have to ask is, how do we deal with the social media equivalent of yelling ‘fire’ in a crowded theater?” Welch said. “You can't do that in real life, but on social media you can.”
Schiff said many more people get their information from social media now, and “fear, anger and lies travel far faster than truth.”
“It’s lit a fire of xenophobic nationalism around the world,” Schiff said.
Welch also noted the importance of addressing the economic inequality issues that have become ingrained in our institutions.
“Those are issues that affect you whether you're in a red state or a blue state," he said.
Responding to an audience question about building unity in the U.S., Schiff said an important part of the solution is getting people together in local communities to build civility, support civic education, and bridge the partisan divide. He said “neighbor-to-neighbor” solutions are important, along with larger-scale approaches.
“I think we’ll need a strong grassroots approach to healing as well,” Schiff said.
He sees a lot of potential for that across the country, with Americans willing to withstand some very long lines to vote early in this pivotal election.
“They're determined to overcome any difficulty and make sure their voice is heard, and that gives me a lot of optimism,” Schiff said.
Healing is the correct word for what the U.S. needs, and the panelists were clear on the importance of the community’s role in resolving partisan divides. Bridging those differences must be at the heart of solutions to all issues facing the country. That approach helps ensure long-term collaboration for the good of the nation, but it starts at the local level. For example, community-based initiatives can facilitate communication between people who may disagree with each other politically, but they each have a wonderful, shared desire to help their community thrive. Those opportunities give people a chance to find common ground, build relationships, and, in turn, help the country become a little more unified. That’s when real change takes root.
— Gareth Henderson
