Political personalities debate the issues

0 Comments | Corrections Today, April, 2008 | by Lia Gormsen

All corny jokes and kidding aside, Bob Beckel and Cal Thomas had a serious message for General Session II lunch goers. The duo asked the audience to consider a political landscape in which bipartisanship stands as the norm rather than the exception. In today's politics, their friendship is an anomaly: Beckel is a liberal political strategist, Thomas a conservative columnist and author. They co-authored the book Common Ground and together write a weekly USA Today column of the same name based on the notion that the U.S. can move forward only after it puts aside the partisan politics that have dominated government for the past 20 years. They argued this point in the Texas Ballroom, bantering back and forth on the social, domestic and security issues that define their political views.

Thomas, who serves as a panelist on "Fox News Watch," began with an observation: Friendships across political lines, which were prevalent in past generations, are lacking today. "Instead of the United States of America, we are rapidly descending into the divided states of America," Thomas said, a trend that is both unnecessary and harmful. It is being proliferated, he contends, by figures in the mass media who profit by insisting that their views, whether liberal or conservative, are the only views. In contrast, Thomas argues that democrats and republicans can find much to agree on--as he and Beckel have throughout their careers. In fact, common ground is best reached out of a multiparty system in which alternative points of view serve to strengthen the government. A single-party system can lead to arrogance, creating leaders who are more concerned with advancing their own careers than helping the country, Thomas said.

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Thomas is a conservative because he believes in certain "objective truths" that apply to everyone irrespective of an individual's race, ethnicity, culture and age. Thomas believes that the "best way to improve your life is to get an education, to stay in school, to get married and stay married before having children, to be a responsible parent to your children, to invest wisely, and to save your own money for your own retirement." Though Thomas is for government as a "last resort rather than a first resort," he contends that helping those who might have fallen through the cracks stand on their feet is, in fact, a conservative principle.

Beckel, who served as the campaign manager for 1984 democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale, now appears frequently as a guest on political talk shows like "Hannity & Colmes." According to Beckel, he is a liberal because he does not believe everyone is born equal. For example, a child born in a barrio in Texas does not have the same advantage as a child born in a wealthy suburb of Dallas, Beckel said. He believes that every child should have food, housing, education and health care. If their parents cannot afford it, Beckel said, "You ought to pay for it, and I ought to pay for it; and particularly, Cal ought to pay for it." Despite the humor, Beckel assured the audience he carries his message with a sense of urgency. "We cannot go on this way, we cannot have our government polarized the way that it is."

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The duo then began to debate specific issues in an effort to show where their views overlap and common ground prevails. Thomas opened by discussing illegal immigration. He acknowledged that many in his party believe all 12 million immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally should be deported back to their home countries--a view he finds unrealistic. Thomas said his party needs to ask itself what is in the best interest of the stability of our government when considering immigration. First, the U.S. needs to secure its borders, and then it needs to create a pathway to citizenship that includes learning the English language, embracing the Constitution and learning the history of the U.S. As for Iraq, Thomas believes the U.S. must stabilize the region before it considers sending troops home--and while we are at it, "send the Iraqis a bill." The U.S. has spent American taxpayer money to fund the war, while Iraq continues to charge top dollar for its oil. Thomas believes the U.S. should parlay its position, using the billions of dollars Iraq has in oil reserves to free itself from the Middle East oil addiction.

On the issue of illegal immigration, Beckel agrees that it is important to secure U.S. borders, though he contends, "If you build a 12 foot fence, I'd be the first guy to suggest building a 13 foot ladder." Beckel agrees with Thomas that after securing the borders, the U.S. needs to give illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship. Though he opposed the Iraq war from the start, Beckel now recognizes that American troops are doing a great job in Iraq. He has gone as far as dissuading his friends in Congress from passing laws that set a timetable for withdrawal. However, like Thomas, he believes the government should work on getting troops out of Iraq so the U.S. can put its energies toward fighting the war on terror.