Do we need another ideologue in Congress like Allen Quist? I say that not to just single out Republicans for their views. Both parties are seemingly cemented in their ideologies today, and that's caused a gridlock that has the potential to affect millions of American lives. But it has not extinguished all the bright stars in the sky. In fact, one particular star seems to be burning brighter than ever.
Want to know what makes Dr. Maureen Reed extraordinary? Plain, old fashioned common sense. It's not fancy or flashy. In these polarized times-- where the dearth of common sense is quite palpable-- Dr. Reed stands out as the lighthouse does in the deep black of night. I spoke to Dr. Reed last last week about a variety of subjects, one of which included the great partisan divide that is engulfing our nation's capital:
"Too many people in Washington have narrow political backgrounds. They've spent most of their adult lives as political people. There are far too few people in Washington, with backgrounds in health care, and business, and education. We need many more people with broad backgrounds working on capital hill. Narrow backgrounds lead to narrow thinking."
Narrow backgrounds lead to narrow thinking. Dr. Reed's line perfectly encapsulates the state of politics today. She went on to explain how important issues facing Americans like health care and education, need to be addressed by those who have "deep experience" in those areas. Sounds like a common sense approach to me. To illustrate: In congress, there are 435 members. Of that number, only 24 have a background in health care. 24. How is it possible that such an important piece of legislation as health care reform, is delegated to a body where less than five percent of its members are qualified to discuss it, let alone craft the legislation? Dr. Reed:
" In other sectors, we don't hand over problems to people who have not had a lot of experience in that field and ask them to craft a solution. What are they going to do? They're going to turn to the arm chair experts, and the special interests."
And while mismanagement and misallotment of resources is nothing new in Washington political circles, Dr. Reed provided a fresh take on the approach taken by the administration and congress. It's a case study in political rigidity and inflexibility--both of which explains the D.C. bone yard built for failed policy initiatives. We discussed in detail the political polarization blanketing Washington and the entire country-- and I asked Dr. Reed what her thoughts were on this partisan rancor gripping us all:
"Most Minnesotans reside in the middle of the political spectrum. Our elected officials are more polarized, and have moved to the far left and the far right. I am a big tent Democrat, which means I have an appreciation for opinions from the left and the right, the up and the down. There is no appreciation for the views of the middle ground. The middle is where the work gets done."
Another relevant statement, considering moderates and independents have proven that they-- and not the ideologues on the left or right-- swing elections. Here's more from Dr. Reed on the issue of polarization:
"Somewhere along the way, these career politicians lost their ability to dial down rhetoric, and solve problems. Sound bites don't equal debate. Polarizing rhetoric leads to an inability to get stuff done. It is intended to inject fear and anger into people-- When people are afraid, they do not solve problems well. Professionals try to dial down fear and anger in order to make better decisions and provide solutions."
In other words-- it's not a technical problem-- it's a political problem. It seems that the "professionals" in Washington, care more about providing venomous soundbites-- than offering concrete solutions to help Minnesotans and all other Americans find jobs. People are worried about what they may potentially lose, not the political blame game hijacking our discourse. Dr. Reed injects a measure of clarity into this debate that is rarely seen. Her candor and her honest approach is more than refreshing. In a district currently represented by conservative ideologue Michele Bachmann, Reed proves herself the antithesis of the oft-times controversial Congresswoman. If you examine her record closely, you'll notice that she's more than qualified for her upcoming battle. But delve a little deeper. Look past her success as a physician, and President of the Board of Regents at The University of Minnesota. What you will find is her intimate connection with real people, and her innate sense of collaboration and sacrifice.
In 2010, we all must adhere to Dr. Reed's mantra that "all Americans can solve tough problems." By believing in common sense solutions and ignoring ideological boundaries--Dr. Reed is perfectly positioned to lead the sixth district in Minnesota as part of its delegation to the United States Congress-- one technical solution at a time.
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