[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 156 (Monday, November 8, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S14306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             PAUL KIRK ON ``WHAT WE CAN DO FOR DEMOCRACY''

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, Paul Kirk, who is well known to many of 
us as a distinguished past chairman of the Democratic Party, recently 
wrote an eloquent and insightful article on the state of politics in 
America today. Entitled ``What We Can Do For Democracy,'' Mr. Kirk's 
article discusses the growing political apathy of Americans, and 
challenges citizens to take a more active role in government. This 
issue goes to the heart of our democracy, and I believe that all of us 
who are concerned about it will be interested in Mr. Kirk's ideas. I 
ask that his article may be printed in the Record.
  The article follows:

                 [From the Boston Globe, Nov. 3, 1999]

                    ``What We Can Do for Democracy''

                         (By Paul G. Kirk, Jr.)

       Alarms have sounded; no one has panicked; the response has 
     been universal. Much time and an estimated $200 billion have 
     been spent on readiness and remediation plans to avert a Y2K 
     computer calamity. But how well are we responding to a Y2K 
     alarm of greater consequence--the distressed health of 
     America's democracy?
       John Kennedy once admonished: ``Democracy is never a final 
     achievement . . . it is a call to an untiring effort.'' In 
     this twilight of ``America's Century'' and before the dawn of 
     a new millennium, now seems a logical time to take stock of 
     our effort.
       A few weeks ago the Kennedy Library observed its 20th 
     anniversary by inviting more than 75 distinguished business 
     leaders, college presidents, public officials, nonprofit 
     executives, and journalists to begin the assessment. They 
     found the following symptoms:
       An all-time high level of cynicism, disaffection, and 
     citizen disconnect from politics coincides with an all-time 
     high level of powerful interest money being spent on 
     political campaigns.
       Money is now the all-consuming obsession of candidates and 
     parties, the deterrent to political competition, the barrier 
     to equal representation, the controlling factor in 
     nominations and elections, and the corrupting influence of 
     public policy decisions.
       62 percent of Americans eligible to vote in the 1998 
     midterm election chose not to, while less than a majority 
     voted in the 1996 presidential election.
       Those of us who know less, care less, participate less, and 
     vote less than other eligible voters are the 18- to 24-year-
     olds.
       Personal consumption and borrowing are at an all-time high 
     while our savings rate is at an all-time low.
       Record market growth and new prosperity will likely result 
     in the largest transfer of individual fortune and economic 
     capital to the next generation in our history.
       Concurrently, the abrogation of any obligation to transfer 
     to the next generation some appreciation of civic capital and 
     public responsibility is more palpable than ever in our 
     history.
       Writing of an earlier democracy, historian Edward Gibbon 
     put our symptoms in perspective: ``When the Athenians finally 
     wanted not to give to society but for society to give to 
     them, when the freedom they wished for most was freedom from 
     responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free.''
       Let's face it. We, too, have become so obsessed with self-
     gratification and gain that we view our rights and freedoms 
     as entitlements and ignore the civic duties and 
     responsibilities that ensure them.
       George Santayana warned: ``Those who fail to remember the 
     past are condemned to repeat it.'' To avert a repeat of an 
     Athenian calamity, Americans' attitudes must change.
       When the Kennedy Library conference asked what we must do 
     to strengthen citizenship and service for the future, the 
     attendees responded:
       The present ``access for sale'' culture must be replaced 
     with comprehensive campaign finance reform that provides some 
     public financing and free TV time to candidates who agree to 
     reasonable spending limits. Only this can renew citizens' 
     trust that our votes matter and our voices will be heard 
     equally.
       Civic literacy education must be ingrained from grade 
     school through college with extra-curricular citizenship 
     activities that include possible school credit for community 
     service.
       An attitude of welcome inclusion and continuing citizenship 
     education must be available to all ``new'' Americans.
       Each measure is critical, but who will assure their 
     adoption? John W. Gardner counseled that the ``plain truth is 
     that government (and other powerful institutions) will not 
     become worthy of trust until citizens take positive action to 
     hold them to account.'' You and I can ignore the alarm, thus 
     contributing to the calamity, or we can take positive action 
     to rescue our democracy.
       Citizens must launch a campaign to renew our national 
     character and the spirit of citizenship and participation. 
     One by one, our individual response can inspire a collective 
     national chorus reminding others that our freedom and 
     democracy are directly dependent on our own patriotism, 
     active citizenship, unselfish service, respect for pluralism, 
     and intolerance of the present condition.
       Mark my words. If you and I commit ``an untiring effort'' 
     to this national civic campaign, communities, organizations, 
     educators, religious and business leaders, the media and 
     opinion shapers, political candidates and parties, and, yes, 
     the President of the United States whom we elect one year 
     from now will follow.
       Think about it. It's called ``consent of the governed.'' 
     It's our democracy, and it's a noble campaign you'll be proud 
     to win.

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