John Avlon’s Final Warning (w/ Rye Barcott) | How to Fix It
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Courage is a deliberate choice to serve something larger than oneself, often requiring one to stand against popular opinion.
- ❖The '9/11 generation' of veterans in Congress often embodies this courage, seeking common ground across party lines.
- ❖Current political and media landscapes actively discourage courage, rewarding conformity and ideological extremes.
- ❖Primary elections, driven by a sliver of ideological voters, are a major factor in disincentivizing bipartisan courage.
- ❖Expanding national service programs like AmeriCorps and JROTC can help rebuild civic education and shared purpose.
- ❖The 'For Country Caucus' demonstrates how bipartisan groups of veterans can effectively pass legislation on national security issues by fostering trust.
Insights
1Courage as a Deliberate Choice for Service
Rye Barcott defines courage not as an instinct, but as a specific choice to serve something larger than oneself, often involving putting one's reputation or integrity at risk. This moral courage is particularly vital in today's polarized political environment.
Barcott states, 'courage, which I define as a decision. It is a specific choice. It's not instinctive. It's a decision to serve something that is larger than yourself.' He contrasts this with bravery, which can be self-serving, while courage is always for the common good.
2Political Incentives Discourage Courage
The current political and media landscape actively discourages courage, especially in Congress. It rewards conformity to party lines and punishes members who attempt to reach across the aisle or take unpopular stands. This is exacerbated by safe districts where primary voters, often the most ideological, dictate electoral outcomes.
Barcott explains, 'our politics and our media our our information landscape discourages courage. It It It rewards uh particularly in Congress following the herd, conforming to the to your party, keep your head down.' He cites the saying 'vote no, but hope yes' as an example of this pressure.
3Military Service as a Unifying Force
Military service provides a powerful connective tissue that enables individuals to understand and respect differences across the country. The shared experience of putting one's life at risk for the nation fosters a sense of unity and purpose that is often carried into public service, making veterans more inclined to seek common ground.
Barcott notes, 'the experience unites you in a powerful and profound way and a way that that enables you to at least understand and respect differences across the country.' He also mentions David Gergen's observation about the decline of military members in Congress contributing to polarization.
4National Service as a Solution to Polarization
Expanding voluntary national service programs like AmeriCorps and JROTC can help rebalance the scale towards unifying experiences. These programs offer skill-building, address a crisis of purpose among young Americans, and are broadly bipartisan, yet face challenges in implementation and funding.
Barcott highlights that national service is an '80/20 issue' where conservatives and liberals largely agree. He mentions Wes Moore's pilot program in Maryland and the expansion of JROTC units as positive steps, while lamenting the low pay and cuts to AmeriCorps positions.
5The 'For Country Caucus' as a Model for Bipartisan Trust
The 'For Country Caucus,' an official congressional caucus supported by With Honor, consists of military veterans from both parties. This group builds trust by working together on national security issues, enabling them to pass approximately 100 pieces of legislation annually, primarily through the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act.
Barcott describes the Caucus, co-chaired by J Kelly and Don Davis and founded by Don Bacon and Jimmy Panetta, as a group that 'develops trust by working with each other' and can have 'serious conversations about this with trust' behind closed doors.
Key Concepts
Showhorse vs. Workhorse
A dichotomy in politics where individuals choose between being a 'showhorse' (focused on public image, communication platforms, and partisan grandstanding) or a 'workhorse' (focused on serious legislation and problem-solving). It is very difficult to be both, as demonstrated by Dan Crenshaw's experience.
Polarization Feedback Loop
A cycle where government falters due to division, trust diminishes, anger hardens, and electoral incentives push politicians to ideological extremes, further rewarding confrontation and punishing compromise. This reinforces the cycle, making bipartisan solutions elusive.
Lessons
- Support organizations like With Honor that aim to elect and support veterans in Congress who prioritize bipartisan cooperation and service.
- Advocate for the expansion and better funding of national service programs (e.g., AmeriCorps, JROTC) to foster shared civic experiences and skill development among young Americans.
- Reward political courage and compromise by supporting candidates who buck partisan lines for the common good, particularly in primary elections where ideological voters hold significant sway.
- Engage in civic education and promote the understanding of historical warnings, like Washington's Farewell Address, regarding the dangers of partisanship, debt, and foreign entanglements.
- Recognize that courage in public life often means taking unpopular stands and enduring criticism, rather than seeking perfection or universal approval.
Notable Moments
John Avlon announces his departure from The Bulwark after two years, but confirms 'How to Fix It' will continue with a new partner. He also mentions his upcoming book, 'Theodore Roosevelt's Guide to Life.'
This marks a significant transition for the podcast and its host, signaling a continuation of its mission to focus on solutions journalism under a new arrangement.
Rye Barcott discusses the genesis of his book 'Courage Can Save Us,' which profiles ten current members of Congress (five Republicans, five Democrats) with military service who exhibit courage.
This sets the stage for the core theme of the episode, highlighting specific examples of political courage and the unique perspective veterans bring to public service.
Barcott recounts David Gergen's challenge regarding the decline of military members in Congress and the subsequent doubling of those numbers since With Honor's inception.
This illustrates the direct impact of organizations like With Honor in addressing political polarization by promoting leaders with a background in service.
Barcott shares an anecdote about President Biden and John McCain being told they 'can't be seen sitting next to each other' at a funeral, highlighting the extreme nature of current political polarization.
This vivid example underscores the depth of the problem, where even basic civility and cross-party interaction are discouraged, demonstrating the immense pressure against bipartisan engagement.
Quotes
"Too much of our civic debate is centered around our divisions, as deep and dangerous as they are. Too little time is spent dedicated to figuring out how we can empower citizens to find common ground rooted in common sense, and actually make progress together."
"Courage, which I define as a decision. It is a specific choice. It's not instinctive. It's a decision to serve something that is larger than yourself."
"History suggests that great civilizations, such as ancient Greece and Rome, are rarely undone by conquest alone. More often they erode from within, weakened by corruption, internal strife, and civic decline."
"Bravery can be self-serving. But courage is always serving something larger than yourself. That's how I that's how I I define it."
"Our politics and our media our our information landscape discourages courage. It It It rewards uh particularly in Congress following the herd, conforming to the to your party, keep your head down."
"Polarization is a cycle that feeds on itself. Government falters, trust trust diminishes, and anger hardens. So, Electoral incentives pull many members of Congress toward the ideological edges, where primary voters often reward confrontation and punish compromise."
Q&A
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