Gephardt Discusses Solutions To `Crisis' in U.S. Democracy

The lack of confidence in democracy is a serious problem which should be addressed before it sinks the ship of American government, House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) said yesterday in a speech at the ARCO Forum.

"There is a general dissatisfaction with politics, even with those who tune in enough to really care," Gephardt said. "As the leaders of tomorrow, you should care the most about what will happen to our political system."

In his speech before the packed audience, Gephardt listed three main obstacles to democracy that could lead to a "decline in civility." He cited the troubled American public education system, the poor relationship between employers and employees and the lack of civic participation.

"There are profound, lasting changes which have occurred in the family," Gephardt said. "We send one-third less time with our children than a generation ago."

Gephardt attributed this to the fact that two incomes are increasingly necessary in order for families to get by.

"There are more jobs, more work and more time [at work]," he said. "There is not enough time for the emotional and intellectual needs of our children."

Citing a statistic that half of juvenile crime occurs from 3 to 8 p.m., Gephardt argued that "children will not and cannot raise themselves."

The representative, who traveled to Littleton, Colo., to meet with the families of the victims of the school shootings last week, said the lesson from such tragedies is that "we simply must pay more attention to our children."

The only institution that can deal with this, Gephardt said, is the public school system.

He advocated decreasing the number of students per school, so students could feel less alienated from the system and develop a relationship with an adult teacher.

He also stressed giving back to the community, asking the audience to volunteer as mentors in local schools and to start fundraising drives fortheir own schools.

Gephardt also decried the situation betweenworkers and businesses in America.

"As we move from the Industrial Age to theInformation Age, we need to get workers to call ontheir unique talents and skills every day," hesaid.

In working together, he continued, it isimportant for employees to understand thefinancial situation of a company just as well asthe owners and managers do.

"You need to treat employees like co-owners,"Gephardt said. "Sharing facts and plans and goalsare important."

Gephardt added that these changes would not bepossible without a new type of civicparticipation.

"The rebirth of activism, mutual tolerance andrespect is crucial," Gephardt said. "The faultlines in this country need to be healed if we areto make it through the next century."

Gephardt cited the abysmal voting statisticsfrom the 1996 elections--only half of registeredvoters turned out to vote for president--asevidence that American democracy was in trouble.

"We need to turn it around, and we need to turnit around quickly," Gephardt said, "Or else thismeans the functional death of American politics."

He urged audience members to join politicalorganizations, work on the campaign of a candidate"you really like," and, most importantly, vote.

"Don't keep your opinions to yourself," hesaid. "We in government need the counsel andguidance that the people give us."

The College Democrats voted the representativeHarvard-Radcliffe Democrat of the Year. After hisspeech, the Gephardt had a reception with theDemocrats in which he talked about the value ofgoing into politics and the importance of theDemocratic Party to the future of the country

Gephardt also decried the situation betweenworkers and businesses in America.

"As we move from the Industrial Age to theInformation Age, we need to get workers to call ontheir unique talents and skills every day," hesaid.

In working together, he continued, it isimportant for employees to understand thefinancial situation of a company just as well asthe owners and managers do.

"You need to treat employees like co-owners,"Gephardt said. "Sharing facts and plans and goalsare important."

Gephardt added that these changes would not bepossible without a new type of civicparticipation.

"The rebirth of activism, mutual tolerance andrespect is crucial," Gephardt said. "The faultlines in this country need to be healed if we areto make it through the next century."

Gephardt cited the abysmal voting statisticsfrom the 1996 elections--only half of registeredvoters turned out to vote for president--asevidence that American democracy was in trouble.

"We need to turn it around, and we need to turnit around quickly," Gephardt said, "Or else thismeans the functional death of American politics."

He urged audience members to join politicalorganizations, work on the campaign of a candidate"you really like," and, most importantly, vote.

"Don't keep your opinions to yourself," hesaid. "We in government need the counsel andguidance that the people give us."

The College Democrats voted the representativeHarvard-Radcliffe Democrat of the Year. After hisspeech, the Gephardt had a reception with theDemocrats in which he talked about the value ofgoing into politics and the importance of theDemocratic Party to the future of the country