As a community and a nation, time to engage

As a community and a nation, time to engage


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SALT LAKE CITY — If you look at what businesses are most concerned about right now, especially in America, there is a good chance their number one concern is the fiscal cliff. Businesses and citizens alike are discouraged, because of the dysfunction in Washington. Policymakers have faced challenges before and the process isn't always smooth, but the impact of inaction or improper action seems to be greater as of late.

Normally this space is reserved for a business column. I do want to talk about important business topics, but like most Americans, my thoughts in recent days turned to the unbelievably horrific events of last Friday at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Like so many others, I found myself wondering about the world that I live in. Today I want to talk about policy affecting business partly as an analyst, but also as a citizen, because communities around the nation will be impacted by what transpires in the coming weeks.

Opinion:

Reflective State of MindI'm not alone in my reflective state of mind. An ABC News - Washington Post poll showed 52 percent of Americans believed that the recent shooting reflected "broader problems in American society" as opposed to just blaming an isolated incident and a deranged individual.

In America, thinking about the last several years, it is easy to be discouraged from one point of view. On the other hand, we've been through a lot and yes, big problems remain, but we're still here. While many difficulties have been encountered and many problems remain, it's time to go about the business of making things better and answer the challenges of our time. Surely our leaders carry a unique responsibility to make things happen, but we citizens have a part too. We need to engage.

Too often, problems in society are addressed in deceivingly simple terms. In the age of sound bites complex arguments are reduced to clips of mere seconds, many times designed to stir emotion. Too often people blame one side or another without much thought.

Lives Affected

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Throughout the country's history, policymakers have engaged in vigorous debate. I was reminded of that point while visiting Congress Hall in Philadelphia. The park ranger talked about the debates of their time: immigration, taxation and the role of government. The ranger then concluded with a rhetorical question: "sound familiar?" Yes, America has always vigorously debated policy and ideas; to be clear, that's a good thing. However, some periods have been more contentious than others, and we're certainly in a polarized time. For that reason, it would be well for everyone to remember how people are affected by policy.

Policy is too often looked at in the sterile environment of starkly contrasting ideology and impassioned argument, but behind these policies, individual lives are affected. It's hard not to talk about policy, because good policy is urgently needed to address so many problems that have been accumulating for years. Lately, many are left feeling like something is broken and observe daily struggles of leaders and individuals to interact productively with each other. This dysfunction is reaching uncomfortable levels and exacting a toll on the broader economy, American leadership in the world, and perhaps least mentioned - individual lives.

Fiscal Cliff

The fiscal cliff has been a frequent topic of this column. Time is of the essence with many issues, particularly with regard to the nation's budgetary challenges. Right now, there are signs that a deal is coming together, giving reason to be optimistic about averting the fiscal cliff. However, even with a deal by January 1, 2013, not all problems will be solved and large issues will continue to be on the table.

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The fiscal cliff is easy to think about it in terms of party differences or just spending and taxes, but again, its effect on lives should be considered. For example, if the U.S. goes off the fiscal cliff, a combination of tax increases and spending cuts will hit the economy with a toxic composition. In such a scenario, what happens to a struggling family if their taxes go up and the economy slides back into recession? What happens to the small business owner already struggling to avoid employee layoffs? What impact does such a scenario have on the next generation as a child grows up without opportunity or scarred by hardship?

Some may say "we don't need government to solve everyone's problems, life is tough and a nanny state is not the answer." It is fine to make that point, but unnecessary hardship, designed by our own leaders, which threatens the dignity of providers and robs kids of a childhood, should never be acceptable. Regardless of the current likelihood of going off the cliff, that is the kind of policy the United States of America is 12 days away from enacting and it's wrong.

So perhaps a broader dialogue, one that examines and considers the impact policy has on people is a good place to start addressing our problems. Whether examining how to prevent mass killings or how to put America's budget back on a sustainable path, how policy interacts with individuals must be considered.

Back to the Basics

Eight-year old Shayne Frate, a third grade student at Sandy Hook Elementary School, hangs from her mother Valerie's back in Newtown, Conn. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
Eight-year old Shayne Frate, a third grade student at Sandy Hook Elementary School, hangs from her mother Valerie's back in Newtown, Conn. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Perhaps the time has arrived to debate the proper role of debate so that we can engage in a process to remedy on-going problems, in a civil, thoughtful and effective manner. After tragic events, many feel an urge to get back to the basics; in a time like this, the fundamentals of our society should be examined and maybe once decency, common sense and consideration are put back into the national debate, we can avoid the seeming omnipresence of crises. Just think about how much better such an environment would be for businesses!

I'm not naïve, and I know things are easier said than done, but after the tragic events of last week, while the nation reflects upon its future and during this time of year, hopefully some good can come from citizens engaging each other. As a community and a nation, we are people with shared interests and many common values. There are lots of solutions to problems. Not everything needs to be a political fight. We need to get things done. It is time to engage each other, thoughtfully, humbly, and with accountability. I'm confident that if some progress to that end can be made, instead of manufacturing problems, like the fiscal cliff, we can begin to solve them. It's up to us to discuss these issues and that is exactly what needs to happen.

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Darin Mellott

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