Philip K. Howard: Reboot America to reempower citizens
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt
The most compelling political statements today are those that focus on mutual respect and factual truth — such as this statement by Republican Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City, just two days before the mob attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, or the victory statement by Georgia Democrat Raphael Warnock after he won a U.S. Senate seat
But why does such a large group of Americans feel so alienated that they abandon basic civilized values? One of the main reasons, I think, is a sense of powerlessness. They're stretched thin, due to economic forces beyond their control. They don't think their views matter, or that they can make a difference in, say, their schools or communities. They can't even be themselves. Spontaneity, which philosopher Hannah Arendt considered "the most elementary manifestation of human freedom," is fraught with legal peril: "Can I prove what I'm about to say or do is legally correct?"
The cure requires reviving human responsibility at all levels of authority. People need to feel free to roll up their sleeves and get things done. They need to feel free to be themselves in daily interactions, accountable for their overall character and competence. A functioning democracy requires officials to take responsibility for results, not mindless compliance. In an essay published in January by the Yale Law Journal, "From Progressivism to Paralysis’’, I describe how good government slowly evolved into a framework that disempowers everyone, even the President, from acting sensibly.
Problems with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is only the latest manifestation of a micro-management governing philosophy that suffocates leadership as well as disempowering citizens.
It's time to reboot the system, not to deregulate but re-regulate in a way that revives the American can-do spirit at all levels of society. This requires a new movement. If you agree, please contact phoward@commongood.org.
Philip K. Howard is chairman of Common Good (commongood.org), the legal- and regulatory-reform organization. He’s based in New York and is a lawyer, civic and cultural leader, photographer and author. His books include The Death of Common Sense, Try Common Sense , The Rule of Nobody and Life Without Lawyers.
