A Political Tense Environment Sets the Stage for Sunday’s Panel
Larry Summers, former head of the Treasury; Eric Holder, former AG, Holder & Benoît Tackle Democracy who is the CEO of Doctors Without Borders USA. They looked at issues of economic integrity, political accountability which included looking at home and abroad at humanitarian crises.
The report brings to light the very divided tone of Washington at present and also puts forth how politics, economy, and humanitarian issues are at the core of today’s issues.
Larry Summers on Economic Data Accuracy and Government Openness
Larry Summers gave a reserved yet strong rebuke of President Trump’s decision to fire the BLS commissioner which he said was “shocking though not unexpected. Also he drew comparison to past government overreach which he said goes beyond what Richard Nixon did at his worst and also noted that we see no resignations from other officials in protest.
Summers strongly defended the integrity of the BLS and the in depth transparent processes which we use to put together employment numbers, he put forth that what is put forth by way of data manipulation is preposterous. He brought to light the professionalism of the teams of analysts which put together the stats which in turn very much play along with private sector data trends. His statements are a response to the political use of very basic economic indicators which in turn he feels play a great role in the public trust in government.
Summers also spoke of the large scale issues which play out in the field of governance which in turn present that which institutions’ checks and balances are broken in the running of a proper democracy.
Eric Holder out speaks authoritarians and supports democratic institutions
Eric Holder discussed the large scale political issues at play with the present admin’s approach which did see a great deal of activity in the judicial and legislative fields. He put forth heavy criticism of Republican led redistricting in Texas which he characterized as “authoritarian” and a threat to democracy. Also put forth was the idea that such actions do in fact diminish fair representation and equity which in turn affects the Latino community which is very much a player in the political game.
He implored Democrats to push for and put together a strong response to protect voting rights and to support democratic institutions which in turn put forward the idea of active participation as a tool in the fight against authoritarians. Holder brought to light the present issues with electioneering and the struggle for large scale representation.
His statements also put into sharp focus that institutional democracy requires care, which is especially true in times of political polarization.
Avril Benoît on Humanitarian Crises and the Role of Global Health Care Aid
Avril Benoît put forward issues of the global and humanitarian scale which in which the work of Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) in the midst of world health crises played a critical role. Benoît reported on out standing issues in the delivery of aid in conflict zones, regions which are the site of natural disasters, and areas which see health care infrastructure break down.
She brought up the issue of our organization’s dedication to impartial medical care which also saw us through the issue of maintaining humanitarian access lines and at the same time we saw to it that we respect international laws which protect aid workers. Also Benoît brought up the issue of the ever growing need for mental health services and the long term effects of crisis on affected populations.
Her analysis brought to light the connection between the global humanitarian work we do and larger issues of political economy and domestic debate at home which in turn draws attention to elements of international responsibility and care that are often neglected but very much present.
The Broader Context: Governance, Democracy, and Human Rights in Crisis
Each of our guests’ contributions is a look at the present which of course is a intersection of issues in American and global politics. Larry Summers’ look at economic data integrity brings up issues of transparency and trust in official institutions which are very much at the base of economic stability and policy making. Eric Holder’s defense of democratic norms in the face of partisian redistricting brings to light the fragile state of electoral fairness and citizen representation. Avril Benoît’s report on humanitarian issues which in turn connect global crises to the moral and practical responsibilities of nations and organizations.
Together in their talks they bring out the complex issues of today’s leadership which play out in terms of internal political struggle as well as external responsibilities and humanitarian crisis. The conversation we had on “This Week” is a look into how policy, governance and global empathy must transform and respond to these cross over issues.
Looking Ahead: Traversing a Polarized Time With Responsibility and Compassion
The August 3rd issue of “This Week” reported on the very real need for which we see integrity, accountability, and empathy in leadership. As politics become more divided the commitment to live out democratic values, to report on issues with transparency, and to pursue human betterment is of great import.
Larry Summers reports that we are seeing trusted economic institutions break down which in turn causes us to be alert to the political games that put at risk our basic systems. Eric Holder’s stress on the importance of democracy brings together political players and citizens to push back against authoritarians. Avril Benoît notes that beyond our own borders human suffering is an issue which requires immediate attention and a coordinated response.
Thus in this episode’s discussion we see put forth a very strong case for a balanced approach which at home and abroad puts forward the human element which means to protect our democracy, to support science and economics, and to promote humanitarian principles.
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