June 23, 2010--Common Sense

In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet with this title. It became a bestseller. No book written during the Colonial Period was as widely popular nor as influential. Paine, not inappropriately, became known as the Father of the American Revolution.

In it, he presented the American colonists with a powerful argument for independence from British rule at a time when the question of independence was still undecided. Paine wrote and reasoned in a style that people could understand, forgoing the philosophical references frequently used by writers of that era.

Everywhere we go while summering in Maine, we hear a call for common sense in government--local, state, and federal. People are angry about the taxes they have to pay not so much because they are greedy and want to keep "their" money but because they see it going to waste. The owner of a paint store the other day said to us, "If they could make the schools work, fix the roads, and take better care of our old folks I'd be all for them even raising my taxes. But nothing seems to be going right where the government is concerned. What we need is more common sense. So put me down as angry."

I asked him to be more specific. To give me a example of common sense at work. He proceeded to tell the story about the plan to dredge Round Pond, a charming cove not far from here that is not only a coveted spot for second home owners but also an important lobstering center.

"They had this town meeting and a representative from the Army Corps of Engineers was there. It appears they're in charge of these things. So he presented a study they got some experts to do that concluded that the harbor needed to be dredged. It would cost I don't-know-how-much. What I do know is that it was a lot and the town's share was $80,000. Real money 'round these parts."

"So what happened?" Rona asked, "Did they approve the money?"

"That the point I'm gettin' to. They said we needed to do the dredging but there was lots of unhappiness among the local people who had come to the meeting. So the town supervisor, who was conducting the meeting, asked if any of the lobstermen who were there thought it needed dredging. There were a least a dozen of them there. You would think that having a clear channel to get in and out to work the traps would be a priority for them. Even if the town, I mean all of us, had to come up with all that money to do it."

"And?" I said.

"Well, not a one of them saw any problem. To a man they all said there was no problem at all, even at the lowest tides, when the moon is full. And so with that, one-two-three, the selectmen on the town board voted unanimously not to have the harbor dredged."

"That's impressive." Rona said.

"Common sense is what I call it. Simple as that. Ask the experts--there are things we can get from them--but before doing anything, use your common sense.

"I wonder," I asked, "if there are any lessons from this for the folks in Washington."

"Sure are. I can give you one right from the headlines. About that oil spill, or whatever you want to call it, in the Gulf of Mexico."

"Go on," I said.

"So Obama, who I voted for and am still trying to feel good about, appointed someone he has a high regard for to be in charge of the agency that oversees oil drilling. To head up the Interior Department."

"Ken Salazar," Rona said.

"He's the one," he said. "Obama and Salazar said the office that deals with offshore drilling was full of cronyism and corruption and they were going to clean it up. No more licenses to drill in our waters without the feds doing an honest review. No more sweetheart deals with the big oil companies. A new day was coming they promised."

"I remember that," Rona said. "I listened to the press conference when Salazar was nominated and they did make those promises."

"And what did it get us? A disaster in the Gulf. And if you take a look at who's in charge of the offices like that Minerals one that were supposed to be cleaned up, most of the people Bush and Cheney appointed are still there, still cozied up to the big oil people."

"We agree about that," Rona said, "but how does common sense apply to this?"

"Easy. Obama appoints Salazar who he feels is a good choice. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. Which is the whole point. Common sense would say that if you are askin' him to do something important for your administration, for the American people, which this is, after you appoint him you ask one of your top people to keep an eye on him and his department. Trust him, believe in him, but keep an eye on him and everyone else you appoint to do these kinds of things."

"And?" I asked.

"And, if Obama had been using his common sense and not just trusting Salazar and what Salazar was telling him, and rather than just trusting the experts, like the kind the Army Corps hired, he would have discovered what was really happening and maybe some of this tragedy could have been avoided."

"I can't disagree with that," Rona said.

"Mind you, I'm not against using experts and trusting people--after all it's a big government with complicated things to do--but I also say, when it comes to making big decisions, use your common sense.

"This also, by the way," he added, "wouldn't have been a bad thing when deciding what to do in Afghanistan. Maybe we wouldn't be headed for a disaster there. Yes, ask the generals what they recommend--they're the experts--but then use your common sense when deciding. And then keep an eye on them because whatever it is they wind up doing the buck is still going to stop with you."

"I can't disagree with that," I said.