We’ve Lost Our Mojo, Says Ex-Pa. Governor

As the nation approached the so-called fiscal cliff, I read the book “A Nation of Wusses: How America’s Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great.”

The author is Ed Rendell, who’s served as Pennsylvania governor, mayor and district attorney of Philadelphia and chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Rendell, endowed with a larger-than-life personality, is known for his blunt style, and the book’s title comes from one of his most famous talk-first-think-later moments.

When a Philadelphia Eagles-Minnesota Vikings game was canceled in December 2010 because of a forecast of significant snow, then-Gov. Rendell said, “We’ve become a nation of wusses. … If this was in China, do you think the Chinese would have called off the game?”

Like lots of books by politicians, Rendell’s is self-serving to a degree. It’s largely an autobiography, but he also has plenty to say about the state of our country, our government, our leaders and ourselves.

Rendell writes in the introduction:

“Government can and should be a force to improve the quality of people’s lives, to help create opportunity for those who have none, to help protect the most vulnerable among us who cannot protect themselves, to make sure that even the poorest and most downtrodden in our society have the basic necessities to survive. …

“But that very simple and decent view of our country is severely challenged today by those who view government as the enemy, who believe it cannot do anything effectively, and therefore the less government we have the better. …”

“I fear that in so many ways, we are becoming a nation of wusses. A nation so afraid to take risks, to face challenges, to do great things. … (W)e must regain that American spirit, that boldness and courage, that willingness to take on challenges no matter how hard or how great the risk ….”

Rendell is a favorite of the TV talk shows not only because of his frankness, but because he knows more than a little something about successful governing.

He “pulled Philadelphia to its feet as mayor and kept Pennsylvania on its feet as governor” despite the Great Recession, wrote John Baer, a longtime columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.

Rendell, a supporter of organized labor, was perhaps best-known in his early years as Philadelphia mayor for his tough negotiations with unions representing city workers.

To help the city deal with a massive budget deficit, he won hundreds of millions of dollars in concessions, including fewer paid holidays and reduced health care benefits for employees.

“So to (Wisconsin Gov.) Scott Walker and all the Scott Walker wannabes out there, you’re wrong. Collective bargaining doesn’t produce deficits. Mayors and governors who give away the store do,” Rendell writes in his book.

In 2003, his first year as governor, Rendell, with the help of the Republican-controlled Legislature, raised the state income tax while pumping more money into public education.

“In their hearts, most politicians know it’s necessary to spend money if it’s spent wisely and efficiently, but they are simply too afraid to vote for additional spending and tax increases to support it,” Rendell writes.

“Political courage is in short supply at a time when America needs it most. Our leaders won’t take risks, nor will they trust the people enough to tell them the truth.”

Rendell won re-election as governor by a wide margin in 2006.

As for the nation’s fiscal affairs, Rendell argues in his book for a “big deal” between Democrats and Republicans, one that includes increased revenues as well as changes in entitlement programs to reduce spending.

“We will need all of the above and more if we are to turn this country around,” he writes.

In the deal we got this week to avert the fiscal cliff, there is increased revenue through higher taxes; what we didn’t get was an agreement to significantly reduce spending.

We are still a nation of wusses.

UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Thom Cole at tcole@abqjournal.com or 505-992-6280 in Santa Fe. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.