Al Gore and the Transpartisan Future

By Kevin Rollins

Transpartisanship means finding overarching truths that transcend political divisions for the betterment of all. Former Vice President Al Gore did just that in his speech on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Putting aside party differences, Gore called on both major parties and the public as a whole, to recognize that the erosion of civil liberties and the growth in the power of the executive branch is dangerous for all.

“In spite of our differences over ideology and politics, we are in strong agreement that the American values we hold most dear have been placed at serious risk by the unprecedented claims of the Administration to a truly breathtaking expansion of executive power,” said Gore in the opening of his speech.

Gore echoed this sentiment throughout his speech. Gore’s speech and the event itself will hopefully mark the beginning of a resurgence of principle in mainstream politics.

Too often are good ideas attacked, not on their merit, but on who is sponsoring them. Equally, bad ideas are adopted merely because they are proposed by an “ally.” The Bush administration’s policies both good and bad are attacked by Democrats, merely because they are the president’s policies. Republicans on the other hand, have given Bush a wide berth, where they would have closely constrained a Democratic president. The result is a president who has no check, as the Republican congressional majority acts as a rubber stamp, where it is consulted at all by the administration; and the Democratic minority is ineffective at raising dissent as they are perceived as pusillanimous partisans whose views are only informed by spite and envy.

Pointing to this failure Gore said, “Though I sympathize with the awkward position in which these men and women were placed, I cannot disagree with the Liberty Coalition when it says that Democrats as well as Republicans in the Congress must share the blame for not taking sufficient action to protest and seek to prevent what they consider a grossly unconstitutional program.”

Gore -- both in his words and his alignment with the Liberty Coalition and its transpartisan approach -- showed that he understands the difference between partisanship and principle. The only way to improve the fortunes of all is to secure the principles on which our government is founded, not the distribution of spoils and power to one party or the other.

He reminded us that we cannot only think of when our own side is in power, because we do not know who will come afterwards and it may be that we trust them much less to wield the powerful device of government that we have created. That is why the rule of law is critical – it puts everyone under the same rules – no exceptions even for the very powerful. The rule of law versus men is indeed a transpartisan value. Gore said of this:

“A president who breaks the law is a threat to the very structure of our government. Our Founding Fathers were adamant that they had established a government of laws and not men. They recognized that the structure of government they had enshrined in our Constitution - our system of checks and balances - was designed with a central purpose of ensuring that it would govern through the rule of law.”

The rule of law is a transpartisan value because no partisan wants to be subject to tyranny. We agree to a set of rules to protect ourselves – even though it requires us to equally respect that the rules protect the other side, too.

The event itself featured former Republican Congressman Bob Barr, who had never been an ally of the Clinton Administration. Barr failed to appear on the video screen due to a technical error, but the symbolism was clear, nonetheless. Gore said, “Congressman Barr and I have disagreed many times over the years, but we have joined together today with thousands of our fellow citizens-Democrats and Republicans alike-to express our shared concern that America's Constitution is in grave danger.”

In addition to breaking down partisan boundaries by appearing with Bob Barr, Gore’s alliance with the Liberty Coalition is also a tremendously positive sign for the growth in influence of that organization. “It’s not about who’s right or wrong. It is about what’s right and wrong,” said Michael Ostrolenk, in his introduction of Gore, summarizing the work of the transpartisan group.

Ostrolenk, who helped organize the event, is the president of the Liberty Coalition, and Senior Editor of The Free Liberal, which are among the many other organizational affiliations and roles he plays in Washington politics. He is perhaps the leading figure in creating the transpartisan movement. The Liberty Coalition includes other transpartisan groups such as the Free Liberal’s parent organization, the Center for Liberty and Community, as well as left-wing groups such as the ACLU and MoveOn.org, and right-wing groups such as American Conservative Union and Townhall. To see the breadth of the coalition, click here.

With political leaders like Al Gore fighting for the right ideas and groups such as the Liberty Coalition bringing together disparate and formerly antagonistic groups, we may be seeing a new transpartisan era in Washington. The former vice president concluded:

“In closing, I mentioned that along with cause for concern, there is reason for hope. As I stand here today, I am filled with optimism that America is on the eve of a golden age in which the vitality of our democracy will be re-established by the people and will flourish more vibrantly than ever. Indeed I can feel it in this hall.

As Dr. King once said, “Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. If it is, let us trace its movements and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance, for we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us."

Kevin D. Rollins is the editor of the Free Liberal.