Which way forward?

— Much lamentation has already been expressed by the consummation of a year-long, $6 billion federal election campaign that essentially resulted in a continuation of the status quo in Washington.

But neither candidate promised the status quo, and after Tuesday’s triumph, the only promises that need scrutinizing now are the ones made by President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party.

Obama’s television ads often ended in one word: Forward. It’s a word that suggests movement. Forward is generally presumed superior to backward, in the same sense that progression is deemed advantageous over regression. Forward is a great place for the country to go, and the electoral reality is that Obama has an historic opportunity to make some remarkable strides toward improvement in race relations, foreign policy, fiscal responsibility and economic growth.

He had the same opportunity four years ago, but made little progress. He claimed many obstacles to his own achievement were inherited from his predecessor. This time, all bequests are his own, and whatever legacy he leaves will be, too.

Race relations

America has reached a new zenith in race relations when white voters can elect a black man president not just once, but twice. Had whites voted for the white candidate in the same percentage that blacks voted for the black candidate, this election would have been a Romney landslide.

The fact that whites embraced diversity in their voting, and clearly subordinated Obama’s race to his political philosophy and campaign promises, is a major step forward. The next step will be for the black electorate to advance beyond voting almost purely along party lines. (Obama polled only a few points more in the black vote than John Kerry did in 2004.) Otherwise, blacks risk being viewed not as families and citizens to be economically empowered, but as a voting bloc to be purchased.

Obama has a real chance to move the black community forward by confronting its ills as part of its emerging political identity. A prime seat at the Democratic victory table has failed to translate into meaningful relief for persistent problems such as high illegitimacy rates, high crime rates and low educational performance.

Bona fide progress will arrive when black voters incorporate political diversity in their mindset and cast ballots on the basis of policies that challenge the unacceptable longstanding status quo.

Foreign policy

There has been too much American blood spilled on Mideast sands with too little to show for it, and Americans deserve fidelity to the Constitution’s delineation between who declares wars (Congress) and who commands the forces (the president).

If international trouble is worth putting U.S. troops in harm’s way, it’s worth discussion among our elected representatives and definitive action. Wars have often been waged for foolish reasons; certainly in this age of global communication, we should avoid the waste and destruction of a rush to warfare whenever possible.

The time is right for a broader discussion of America’s role as the world’s premier military superpower. The “might makes right” mentality is archaic. Obama can move foreign relations forward by bringing focus and light to policy commensurate with 21st Century civilization.

Fiscal responsibility

Obama looked voters in the eye and promised to cut the deficit in an advertisement during the final week of the campaign. That’s bold talk when our federal budget is bleeding red ink annually, but I hope he means it.

It’s not in the Democratic DNA to reduce federal spending, but that’s the only way to erase trillion-dollar deficits and make any dent in a $16 trillion national debt. Will Obama have the resolve to make history as a budgetbalancer even if it means chafing the big spenders in his own party?

Economic growth

It has often and wisely been said that we learn most from our critics, and Obama ought to be intelligent enough to recognize that his administration’s stimulus program failed to live up to its name in terms of real jobs and sustained economic activity.

Successful second-term presidents have often governed toward achievement and away from ideology. Economic woes have often wrecked presidencies. Somewhere in his strategy Obama needs to engage the smallbusiness community—which creates most new jobs and yet has received no bailouts, has suffered most through tightened lending policies, and cannot afford unionization, excessive regulation or being labeled “wealthy” for showing a healthy gross profit.

Few presidents have demonstrated a real willingness to tackle reform of the ridiculous U.S. tax code with all its unintended disincentives, but no single undertaking would serve to jump-start free enterprise more.

Mitt Romney had some good ideas. Moving the nation forward will require a different attitude from Obama than getting himself elected did. Here’s hoping he can adapt.

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Dana Kelley is a freelance writer from Jonesboro.

Editorial, Pages 17 on 11/09/2012

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