Talk probes Washington’s dysfunction

WASHINGTON — The United States has serious fiscal, social and political problems, but a prominent author speaking in Albuquerque this week contends many Americans don’t understand the reasons for the problems or how to fix them.

Adam Garfinkle, an author, editor and former State Department speechwriter, will discuss this quandary and his new e-book “Broken: What’s Wrong and How to Fix It: A Primer on American Political Dysfunction” as part of the Albuquerque International Association’s ongoing lecture series on protest movements around the globe.

Garfinkle’s lecture is Friday, March 8, at the UNM Continuing Education Center and will include a question-and-answer session.

In a Journal interview, Garfinkle said his speech will mirror themes in his book, which offers a mixture of analysis and public policy prescriptions. He said the problems facing America are rooted in what he described as an erosion of community or “social trust.”

“All of the proposals (in the book) are centered around one basic principle, and that is that we’ve lost social capital — or social trust — in this country over the last several decades, partly because of technology but because of other reasons too,” Garfinkle said. “The sinews of our national community are coming apart.”

Garfinkle said Americans seem to be losing their sense of common identity, a loss that he said breeds distrust.

“If you ask people, why are we in this political community together called the United States of America? — unlike any time in our history going back to the great founding, there is no consensual answer,” Garfinkle asserted.

The author, who said he is neither a Democrat nor a Republican but more resembles a conservative in the mode of former President Theodore Roosevelt, asserted that solutions are more likely to be found locally than in Washington.

“Things are best and least expensively solved at the place nearest its source,” Garfinkle said. “There are several proposals in the book that argue for devolvement of federal authority back to states and localities.

Garfield also said “three schools of thought” exist among scholars analyzing America’s problems. One group blames globalization and automation, another focuses on traditional political dysfunction, and the third focuses on corruption and plutocracy. Garfinkle said all are accurate assessments.

“It is all three of those things, in reinforcing combinations, that defines our problems,” Garfinkle said.

Those who want more information about Garfinkle’s work before attending the lecture may visit www.the-american-interest.com.