Author: Jock Gill

I just watched “The War Room“, a film about the 1992 Clinton Campaign, for the first time since 1993.

Watching this film of politics from 15 years ago is an experience I recommend highly. In 1992, Bush, and esp. Mary Maitlan, one of his senior campaign staffers, worked hard to use “experience” to disqualify Clinton. Today, Sen. Clinton’s use of “experience” against Obama makes her sound like the new Bush.

Also, look at, remember, the non hierarchical fluidity of the Clinton campaign team in ‘92. I remember a Chicago TV show that contrasted Clinton’s HQ with the rigidity and formalism of the Bush HQ. We were the fresh pick up team that beat Bush’s Old Hands Team. That role appears to have passed to the Obama team. I have to tell you, solid Democrats I know in VT are not at all happy with the strong arm tactics of the current Clinton campaign: “You were with Bill, now you will be with Hillary or else” sort of tactics. It smacks too much of Karl Rove’s ultra partisan tactics.

You know what they say in religion 101. The love of God is freely given to those who freely give their love to God — if your allegiance is not freely given, it is not worth much.

In 1992, it was “The Economy, Stupid”. In 2008 it will be “It’s the Trust, Stupid”. The lack of trust in the financial markets, leading to millions of folks losing their homes, and the lack of trust in each other, caused by Bush’s endless war of fear, with its devastating destruction of our image of ourselves, CIA Black Sites anyone?, will be a key factor in who wins.

To restore trust will require many things, such as:

Restoring the rule of law;
Acknowledgment of limits, consequences, responsibilities and accountability;
Common sense;
Changing the DNA of our culture.

We know, for example, that health care costs are exploding. It is common sense that it is not enough to increase the “supply” of health coverage without reducing the “demand” side as well. Should we, therefore, tax High Fructose Corn Syrup at a rate that is slightly higher than the healthcare costs it creates? Should this disincentive be extended to all practices that drive up the costs of a civil society or that, as in the case of global climate change, threaten its very existence?

To restore trust, we will,in fact, have to replace a culture based on waste, debt and greed with one based on efficiency, conservation and innovation. Can we find the strength to admit that we must change the very DNA of our culture — before it is changed for us by events in the “real world” beyond our control — the “fitness landscape” we must exist in?

Who will help lead us through this challenging process? If we find the faith and courage to do this ourselves, the outcome will more likely be favorable. If we fail, the outcome will be all together different and quite likely far less to our liking. The choice is ours to make.

Which of our would be presidents has the courage to articulate such a vision? Which is most likely to be able to work with us to find a better way to go beyond the limits and consequences of the conventional and traditional choices we have made in the past? Choices too often left unexamined.

Business as usual will not restore our trust in our selves, our country or our future. Nor will Hope. Nor will “latter“.

We want to believe in ourselves and our future, but that has been taken from us. Can any candidate give belief in ourselves, trust in each other, and faith in the future back to us?

The change theme of 1992 comes back again to haunt the Clinton campaign in 2007. We, I was an incidental member of that campaign, were the change in 1992. In 2008, we the people must be the force for change. Can Trust be our theme and organizing principle?

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