Transforming Presidency

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The Need

• A long-term program is needed to keep the U.S. economy strong and growing
• Social and racial divisions in American society must be healed
• Voters look for a powerful message
• A candidate should offer a persuasive message
• Focus on the common good and the national interest
• There is a need for larger themes
• Need to set new direction
• Need to eliminate divided government dominated by special interests
• Restore a sense of legitimacy to the political process
• There should be a government in place with both a mandate and potential to act on the nation's problems
• The presidential election should be a debate of the nation's future; a "forum for the future"

The Response

• Required: a better message than attacking the Washington political establishment
• Meet the need voiced by citizens -- solutions to real problems
• But piecemeal solutions are not enough
• Periodic regeneration of society through proactive and forward looking politics is the answer
• Secure national consensus by focusing on the national interest, instead of divisive or pandering "issues"
• Systematic diagnosis of all major national and inter-related world problems
• Set up feasible policies and programs that persuade the voters that a transforming presidency is needed
• Major ideas
  • Populist: For the people
  • Pragmatist: Does it work?
  • Progressive: Innovative -- but not radical -- policies and programs
  • Form a new, bipartisan "Party of National Interest"
  • Unify, not divide society
  • Retain affordable world leadership
  • The right message for the right messenger:

The New Transformation -- for the 21st century

Method of Accomplishment

Develop a Transforming Presidential Campaign Theme

• Expose the "political class" of Washington as a major cause of our current problems.
• Develop the right approach to governing America through good management practices.
• Reclaim politics by creating a new "party of national interest," to enact needed programs and move the country in the right direction.
• Obtain the support of concerned citizens, the private sector, non-profit organizations and others interested in improving the American economy and society.

Proposed Method

• Employ the systems approach in identifying problems and remedies.
• Collect facts and information about economic and social problems, both national and world.
• Relate these national and world problems to our national deficits.
• Develop proposed solutions that are feasible, pragmatic and strategic (long-term) to address the problems.
• Use policy analysis to select priorities and solutions.
• Summarize the proposed policies and programs.
• Work with experts to ensure feasibility by relating to budgets, voters' perceptions and the like.
• Name the movement for a transforming presidency the New Transformation (this relates to idea of "transforming leadership" in The Power to Lead by James MacGregor Burns).
• Organize a social movement by non-profit and other concerned organizations, to support a mega-coalition of third parties, to elect the Transforming President. This social movement is called Government for the People.

Transforming Politics for the Common Good

The New Transformation movement's mission will be the implementation of a New Deal for the new millennium. This program of national -- and even world -- renewal should be called the Common Good Covenant.

An objective analysis of the conditions of societies reveals the failure of our institutions as the major cause of problems and conflicts. The traditional governing institutions of the nation-states favor powerholders interested gaining and keeping power to reward themselves, at the expense of their societies. The transforming presidency must overcome this potentially fatal tendency by establishing the next higher level of governing institutions: the Common Good State.

The purpose of the Common Good Covenant would be the improving of the human condition world-wide, and the reinventing and strengthening of institutions of civil society.

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