“Agree When We Can and Disagree Respectfully When Necessary”

Washington, DC - The weather was cold but clear.  As I looked out into the crowd, searching for a familiar Texas face, I worried whether those who had traveled from our area to Washington were prepared for the cold and the crowds.  Tight security and long lines were everywhere amid a sea of people that was the largest crowd ever gathered on our national mall.

But there is something about inaugurations and new beginnings that causes us to forget our discomforts and frustrations and to remember how fortunate we are to be Americans.  The long campaign seemed far in the past.  Next week differences over what to do about the economy will take center stage.  At least for this day, though, we can marvel at the greatness of our democracy and the smooth transition from one administration to another.  And we can all hope that the new President will navigate the nation successfully through the challenges ahead.

The challenges are daunting, starting with the economy.  Nearly everyone agrees that some sort of action is needed to help spur economic growth, but there is considerable doubt about a single bill that borrows and spends close to a trillion dollars on a laundry list of programs.  The new President and the Congress should remember that part of a doctor’s oath that says “first, do no harm.”

Beyond the economy, there were many promises made in the campaign about health care, education, and energy.   Now President Obama says he is also going to tackle entitlement reform, acknowledging that we are eight short years away from not collecting enough money in Social Security taxes to pay the benefits that older Americans are expecting.   Solving this problem, like many others, will require maturity and thoughtfulness with an eye toward the longer view and what we will leave our children and grandchildren.

On the national security front, terrorists have not let up in their plotting against us, yet there are those who will push the new President to give up some of the tools that have prevented a successful attack on American soil since 2001.  He will be tested by those demanding an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, regardless of whether it undermines the hard-won gains there, as well as by the escalating violence in Afghanistan.  The tense situation between Pakistan and India, a newly assertive Russia, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the North Korean and Iranian nuclear programs all present tremendous challenges.

Of course, there will be unexpected problems and crises that arise.  To deal with all of these issues will require the new President’s best -- and the best from all the rest of us, too. 

Throughout the campaign, President Obama promised to set a new tone in our national political debates, and in his Inaugural Address, he referenced the Bible saying that “the time has come to set aside childish things.”  Amen.  To do so, he must lead us in that direction, and the rest of us must agree when we can and disagree respectfully when necessary.

But with all of the policy challenges and the debates ahead, the thing that sticks out in my mind is the people.  Several hundred people traveled from northern Texas to Washington D.C. to be a part of this historic event.  I got to talk with many of them.  Their excitement and hopefulness were infectious.  They believe America is the greatest nation on earth, but it can be even greater.  So do I.

And as presidents come and go, I am reminded, once again, that the strength of America lies not in its government but in its people – those who go to work each day, who raise their families, and who hope – hope for an even better America.