Posted on 07/17/2005 11:07:36 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
DES MOINES, Iowa - Republican or Democrat, most governors have two things in common. First, they want to be president. And they know that to be president they must find new policies and language — presumably both — that help voters feel less anxious about their place in a rapidly changing society.
"People sense that there are enormous changes going on in the world and they don't see Washington providing any answers," said Democratic Gov. Mark Warner of Virginia.
Warner is the outgoing chairman of the National Governors Association, which held a weekend meeting in this hotbed of presidential politics. Warner is one of at least seven governors who are considering White House runs in 2008.
The state leaders are making the usual rounds: posing for photographs at the farmer's market, raising money for Iowa's political parties and seeking private audiences with veterans of the presidential caucuses.
The glad-handing may be a fun diversion for the politically obsessed in Iowa, but it is of limited importance 2 1/2 years before the caucuses.
In this quiet prelude before campaigning begins in earnest, it is more important for potential candidates such as Warner to discover and polish messages that resonate with voters.
Perhaps with that in mind, several governors said they are trying to find ways to address the subtle worries shared by people in a fast-evolving world.
"I do think the next president — any candidate from the president on down — who can articulate answers to the questions of how to deal with the future, yes, will touch a chord," Warner said.
Inside and outside the meeting halls, governors discussed how the Internet and other technologies have leveled the playing field for America's global competitors.
Countries such as China and India, with swelling with highly motivated populations, are making economic, educational and technological gains on the United States. Those advances are not lost on U.S. voters.
Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, a Republican ally of President Bush, said U.S. political and business leaders are guilty of complacency.
"We have ignored the fact that our world is becoming as competitive as it has ever been," he said.
Several governors said that competition is part of what is making the public so anxious about their lives. Among people's specific concerns are:
_The unemployment rate is relatively low, but people live with a nagging fear that their job is in danger due to foreign competition. At a minimum, they are faced with the uneasy reality that the days are gone when they could expect to keep one job, with pension and full benefits, for their entire careers.
_Health care is among the best in the world, but insurance is too costly for tens of millions of people.
_School reform is a perennial political issue, but many parents fear their children are not ready to compete globally.
_Terrorists have not struck U.S. soil in nearly four years, but the London bombings reminded people how fleeting a sense of security can be.
"There is an insecurity issue" with most voters, said Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota. "There are a lot of changes going on in the economy that people have a hard time getting their heads around."
What can a political leader do about it? Pawlenty said the right rhetoric can help reassure voters.
"It's part of the responsibility of leadership to show hope and optimism," along with a plan for the future, he said.
Several governors said education, retraining and health care policies — staples of campaigns past — carry greater resonance in times of change.
Warner used his year heading the governors' association by pushing for improvements in U.S. high schools.
Romney is trying to ensure health insurance for every Massachusetts resident.
Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas has insisted on an outside audit of her state's schools to make sure they are performing well.
When it comes to helping people brace for change, "it's all about education," Sebelius said. "It's all about getting our students ready for this global economy."
Change is happening everywhere, even on the farms of Kansas. The governor said she recently rode a combine with a farmer who had global positioning technology and a computer system that tracks what he plants.
Still, there are risks in talking about the challenges of change. "How do you connect in a way that doesn't terrify people?" Sebelius said.
She believes that it is a generational phenomenon. While older voters grew up expecting a single career, guaranteed pension and health care benefits, younger people know better.
"The message that's hard to deliver is to the 50-year-old worker whose plant closed down, who has a high school education and is terrified about what comes next," Sebelius said.
Warner and other state leaders said the best way to connect with 21st century voters is to talk frankly about people's concerns, even if there are no easy answers.
"It's part of the challenge for anybody who wants to be a part of this debate," the Virginia Democrat said. "I hope I'm at least asking the right questions."
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On the Net:
National Governors Association: http://www.nga.org
Where does America find these 'leaders' ?
Washington is pushing the major changes. Washington is dissolving the US national borders and beginning the process of integrating Canada and Mexico into a new nation.
The Republicans and Democrat parties are out of control! They are engaging in blatant treason in the destruction of the USA and violation of the Constitution.
It is time to completely cast out ALL members of both parties that refuse to protect the US national borders.
This is so much pablum. I'm just surprised my own little bulldike local commie isn't included in the happy sap of this article.
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