When I got back to my dorm room around midnight last Wednesday, I did what I usually do to relax and unwind. I turned on C-SPAN.
As the pixels rendered, I was greeted by the youthful, energetic face of David Cameron, prime minister and leader of Britain’s Conservative Party. Earlier that day, he had given a speech at his party’s annual conference, and it was airing again.
Britain’s Conservative & Liberal Democrat coalition government came into power this May and immediately undertook bold measures to reduce Britain’s national debt, reducing the size of central government and devolving power to localities. In his speech, Cameron defended the spending cuts: “I wish there was another … easier way, but … there is no other responsible way.” This might sound like the Tea Party Express, but unlike America’s Republicans, Cameron recognizes the need for a progressive tax code: “It is fair that those with broader shoulders should bear a greater load.” And unlike conservatives who view all government action as bad, Cameron recognizes that government can work with, not against, its citizens: “It takes two. … Let’s work together in the national interest.”
Comparing Cameron’s speech to the recent party convention speeches of Nick Clegg, deputy prime minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats, and Ed Miliband, recently elected Labour leader, I find that — although their political philosophies differ — all three leaders emphasize responsibility and a direct commitment to the people they serve, something sorely lacking in the actions of America’s most powerful politicians. I would sooner vote for Cameron or Clegg than any nationally prominent Republican, and I’d take Ed Milliband over any Democrat I could name.
Why do Britain’s politicians seem more credible? Perhaps Britain’s Parliamentary culture can explain. Britain’s MPs debate in a packed room, gaining cheers for good points and getting hounded for faulty arguments. Parliamentary debates are riveting, more accessible to average citizens and force serious engagement with the other side. By contrast, whenever C-SPAN airs a congressional speech, the chamber is virtually empty, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Botox-infused perma-smile gives the impression that she lives in a world where Republicans simply do not exist.
Unlike Britain’s election, our last election changed nothing. As a candidate, Obama won the independent voters by promising to change the way Washington does business, committing to bipartisanship and reforming the lobbyist culture. But as president, Obama has let his Democratic Congress set the agenda. So, with control of both houses, what has this congress accomplished? Little of substance, save for a massive, incomprehensible health care bill which does nothing to control costs. Even after massive stimulus, the economy is still stuck on neutral, and all the while the national debt is ballooning. If Republicans take over Congress in this year’s elections, a divided government will ensue, and unless Obama turns into Clinton we can expect our government to accomplish even less. Which brings me to this week’s modest proposal.
It’s time to move back into our parents’ basement. Let’s repeal the Declaration of Independence.
Handing things over to a fiscally austere Britain certainly beats mortgaging our future to China and oil-saturated autocracies. It will rip up our gigantic national credit card and maybe even teach us how to wear a “stiff upper lip.”
But if Ole Britannia gets fed up and turns us back onto the street, then we’ll just have to watch through the window, put aside our egos and reach across the aisle to solve the pressing issues of our time.