Obama in the Center

As we move forward into the Obama administration, I am increasingly happy about his actual practice of post-partisan politics.  We should all hedge against a confirmation bias and critically examine whether his actions match his language, but it looks like the President-Elect is walking the walk.

Here's a great example from his announcement of his next Education Secretary, Arne Duncan.

For years, we've talked our education problems to death in Washington. But we've failed to act, stuck in the same tired debates that have stymied our progress and left schools and parents to fend for themselves -- Democrat versus Republican, vouchers versus the status quo, more money versus more reform -- all along failing to acknowledge that both sides have good ideas and good intentions.We can't continue like this. It's morally unacceptable for our children and economically untenable for America.

It's great to hear this coming from our nation's policy leader, and it's harder for me to understand how easily people dismiss arguments from the other side.  This is partially why it's hard for me to identify as a Democrat, even though I functionally am. There is a natural human desire to belong in something greater, and psychologists have produced a lot of evidence that we really like being around people who share our values and agree with us.  It's not hard to see the logical next step, which is that this emotional connective tissue undermines our ability to step back and criticize when criticism is warranted.  And when we spend so much time on demonizing the other party, it gets hard to reach out and talk.

The pettiness that undermines policy is also what makes it tougher for the kids I see every day.  It sounds absurd, but we still don't have a comprehensive education reform policy because... adults can't sit down and talk?  Really?

Here's hoping for a new beginning.