STATE: North Dakota
STATE SENATE: 81%
STATE HOUSE: 86%
STATE WIDE: 93%
CONGRESS: 100%
STATE: Arkansas
STATE SENATE: 74%
STATE HOUSE: 76%
STATE WIDE: 100%
CONGRESS: 100%
STATE: Tennessee
STATE SENATE: 85%
STATE HOUSE: 75%
STATE WIDE: 100%
CONGRESS: 78%
STATE: Indiana
STATE SENATE: 82%
STATE HOUSE: 70%
STATE WIDE: 89%
CONGRESS: 78%
STATE: Missouri
STATE SENATE: 74%
STATE HOUSE: 72%
STATE WIDE: 75%
CONGRESS: 75%
With President Trump and Vice President Pence in the White House, and Republican majorities in the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, these “red states” and others have a genuine opportunity to redefine government’s relationship with society and replace eight decades of bureaucracy and regulations with bold, modern approaches.
This chance mainly comes from finally having a federal government that won’t get in the way of states that want to develop new solutions for the problems they are facing.
THE RED STATE OPPORTUNITY
This chapter outlines the general principles of this “Red State Opportunity.” It also includes a series of key projects that could help state and local governments begin to replace bureaucratic, left-wing programs with those built on historic American values, entrepreneurial models of achievement, and modern science and technology.
The historic principles and values that made America more prosperous and free than any society in history—along with the liberating potential of new science and technology—will lead to more jobs, with higher take-home pay for workers; greater opportunities for retirement; better, more convenient and lower-cost health care; more effective learning; and greater safety.
President Trump can set the direction, rally his supporters, enact significant changes, and recruit a team of like-minded citizens. But to fully implement Trump’s vision for America, an amazing amount of invention and creativity must occur at every level. There are more than 500,000 elected officials in the United States. Only one of them is president. He is the most visible and most powerful official, but he can’t invent and implement a new governing system—that works in every state—by himself.
As the new Red State Opportunity system is developed, it should attract leaders from other states to participate and create a series of insights and lessons that could be applied to rethinking and transforming the federal government.
As the new system clearly produces better outcomes in people’s lives, it will be the basis for campaigns in 2018, 2020, and beyond—which we must win to make this system last.
THE LEFT IS CORNERED
We must remember that the Left is cornered but still dangerous.
For eight decades, the Left has ruled. Bureaucracies have grown bigger, and so have their budgets. For years, they have been able to increasingly dedicate tax dollars to left-wing ideals. Conservatives occasionally slowed down or trimmed this process but have not yet reversed it.
At the same time, the ideals of the Democratic Party have become more extreme. They have evolved from providing limited government welfare during a crisis under Franklin D. Roosevelt, to creating systems of lifetime dependency on government under Lyndon B. Johnson, to rejecting the whole notion that people should have to work, under the Elizabeth Warren–Bernie Sanders model.
Contrast the American patriotism of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and John F. Kennedy with the globalist, anti-American views of modern Democrats. The shift from traditional to radical values has been striking. Just look at public employee unions as an example. Franklin D. Roosevelt completely rejected them, and now those public employee unions dominate his party. And no Democratic president through Lyndon B. Johnson would understand or accept the social radicalism and hate speech of the modern Left.
The election of Trump is, in part, a deeply emotional rejection of this shift in the Left. Those who voted for Trump are tired of the Washington-centered, bureaucratically imposed, court-enforced, radical redesign of America by left-wing intellectuals, activists, and media organizations.
If executed properly, the Red State Opportunity and Trump will do much more than trim the excesses of the Left. These related movements aim to spur a profound, passionate return to the core American principles of the Founding Fathers, Andrew Jackson, and Abraham Lincoln—not simply a rehash of modern conservative ideology.
Those on the left understand that Trump represents a deep repudiation of their values, world, and power structure. The viciousness, bullying, intimidation, vulgarity, and explosions of rage we have seen since Trump’s election all reflect the Left’s clear understanding that the world Americans have chosen is incompatible with their left-wing values and institutions.
Under President Obama they thought they were on the verge of redefining America. If Hillary Clinton had won, they might have succeeded. Their very closeness to victory fills them with desperation as defeat sets in. The Left knows the governmental system they have worked to implement for the last half century is endangered. They will not go quietly.
THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The modern Left deliberately repudiates American history. It refuses to teach it, study it, or learn from it. At every turn, the Left diminishes the lessons of America by insisting they represent the work of slave owners and “old white men.”
On campuses across the country, weird courses and bizarre definitions of history have replaced the study of the culture, history, and personalities that made America the freest, most prosperous, and safest society in history.
This initial look at principles will make clear why Trump is such a threat to the Left.
Some of these will invoke topics discussed in earlier chapters, but they are summarized here for convenience. This is also only an introductory set of examples. As people rethink modern government and society from a Trumpian perspective, they will inevitably add principles and expand the analysis and interpretation:
• American history is at the heart of what makes us Americans. The core principles American history teaches are timeless and apply today as much as in 1776—or 1861. That our unalienable rights come from our Creator makes us unique. We must reemphasize learning what makes us American.
• Work is good. Everyone should expect to work. People have responsibilities as well as rights. A key part of work is learning. Everyone should expect to learn all their lives. Trump does this. He is constantly learning and adapting on a daily basis.
• Everyone has strengths. Gallup’s Strengthfinders works, because it focuses on enhancing strengths—not wallowing in weakness. This leads to profound rethinking of disabilities, welfare, impoverished communities, and criminal justice reform.
• Pragmatism is the core American philosophy. Facts drive and define theory. Determining the facts is the necessary first step toward real analysis.
• Entrepreneurial behavior characterized Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Lincoln, and millions of successful Americans. These presidents applied common sense, rapid learning, hard work, and constant innovation. None of them favored bureaucratic behavior. President Trump continues this legacy by bringing his unique business background and skill to the White House.
• Output is more important than input. Phillip Howard, with his idea of output-focused regulations, is suggesting a profound revolution in how we think about bureaucracies and regulations. As a real estate developer, Trump understands this. The important part of building a building is that it stands up when you are finished.
• Winning is important. Failure is often a necessary step toward winning. This is a clear repudiation of the anti-competition, everyone-is-a-winner mind-set of modern academics. The president thrives in competition and knows h
ow to overcome hurdles.
• Because failures often precede success, frugality is important. We must save resources for repeated efforts. The Wright brothers would have never flown if they operated on NASA’s model.
• Finding the best expert and cutting through the red tape saves enormous amounts of time and money. Every government should adopt the Wollman Skating Rink model I discussed earlier. All state and local leaders should read the chapter on Wollman in The Art of the Deal and apply it to their projects.
• If something is stupid, say so.
• If something doesn’t work, quit doing it.
• If something is working, do more of it.
• Define measurable metrics. Common sense beats academic theories that do not work in the real world.
• Look to the past to solve future problems. Imitation is cheaper than invention. The Founding Fathers studied history extensively. Lincoln studied the history of war extensively. A lot of smart people have solved a lot of hard problems. Learn from them.
• Dream big. Creating America in 1776 was a big dream. Doubling the size of America with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 was a big dream. The transcontinental railroad was a big dream. Preserving the Union in 1861 was a big dream. Building the Panama Canal was a big dream. Going to the moon in eight years was a big dream. The creation of mass-produced cars, electric lights, movies, flight, and the Internet were big dreams. It is time for America to have big dreams again.
• Big dreams require bold, daring projects, a willingness to accept failure, and an eagerness to apply the lessons of failure to trying again until the dream becomes real.
• The Declaration of Independence applies to all Americans. There are no hyphenated Americans. We are all endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights. Trump’s agenda should be dedicated to turning this into a reality for every American.
• We believe in science, technology, engineering, and innovation. This is why the American Constitution includes a provision for a patent office. Innovation- and technology-based breakthroughs should be a continuous part of our thinking.
• America is much bigger than the federal government. Your state is much bigger than the state government. The local community is much bigger than the city or county government. We should limit the size of government across the board. The federal government in 1900 spent 2.7 percent of the gross domestic product. The 1930 federal number had only grown to 3.5 percent of GDP. In 2012, the government spent 24 percent of the GDP. Meanwhile state and local governments grew from 9.1 percent of GDP in 1930 (the earliest year numbers are available) to 14.8 percent in 2012. So, government as a share of society has grown by more than a factor of 300 percent. Inventing patterns, institutions, and habits to return power and resources from government to the private sector, individuals, and local communities will be one of the biggest challenges of Trump’s and one of the most intensely contested.
• The will of the American people is more important than the advice of the elites. This core belief in the common sense and legitimate right of opinions and values by everyday citizens was at the heart of the farmers at Concord and Lexington. It was why bringing judges under control and guaranteeing jury trials ranked second only to no taxation without representation as a demand in the American Revolution. It was at the heart of the Jacksonian rebellion against Eastern elites. It was the key to Lincoln’s ability to hold the Union together through four years of war. We the people trumps you the elites.
• Because people matter as individuals, not “the people,” policies should be tested against their micro effect as well as their macro effect. “How will this policy work in the real world with everyday folks?” should be a required test for any big macro proposal.
• The Founding Fathers had a passionate belief in the rule of law. They saw the law as the protector of the weak, the bulwark against corruption, the guarantor of a reliable process of commerce and life itself. We have to reassert the sanctity of the law against political corruption, bureaucratic tyranny, and judicial dictates.
• As part of the rule of law, your physical safety is the first obligation of government. A government that can’t keep you safe has failed in its most important duty. This is made clear in the preamble to the United States Constitution.
POSSIBLE PROJECTS
The following are examples of the kind of bold projects and new thinking that the application of Trump’s principles might lead to at the state and local level. They are listed in no particular order of priority, and some have been more fully detailed in earlier chapters.
REGULATORY PROJECTS
Project 1: Get the people to help kill regulations. President Trump has launched a bold initiative to require bureaucracies to kill two old regulations for every new one they issue. Every state and local government should adopt the same rule for its bureaucracies. Furthermore, state legislatures and city councils should develop online mechanisms to let citizens list the regulations they most want to see repealed. The bureaucrats we are trying to reform should not pick which regulations are cut. Really taming bureaucracies and the administrative state at all levels will be a huge job. It will require projects beyond reducing two old for each one new regulation.
Project 2: Move from input-focused regulations to outcome-focused regulations. In virtually everything the government regulates there is a bias toward prescribing inputs and prescribing step by step what has to be done. Phillip Howard’s concept of outcome-based regulations is potentially powerful. Every state legislature and city council should develop a working group on replacing input-focused regulations with outcome-focused regulations. Every governor should appoint a state government-wide focus on the same transformation.
Project 3: Infrastructure projects should begin with a focus on dramatic regulatory reform. States and local governments should adopt Phillip Howard’s proposal to consolidate all permitting into one shop, with one-time reviews. This could reduce time and costs dramatically. Second, the experiences of Governors Wilson, Schwarzenegger, Leavitt, Daniels, and Kasich should be codified into dramatic reforms. In all cases—but for different reasons—they avoided federal regulations, and had projects come in under budget and ahead of schedule. Some projects saved 40 percent over federal estimates. States should share new infrastructure approaches with the Trump administration and the new Republican Congress, to help them develop a new infrastructure program.
Project 4: Cut costs by cutting federal red tape. It is estimated that universities may spend as much as 15 percent of their overhead cost in meeting federal requirements. Doctors take home less money, because they have to hire more clerical staff to deal with paperwork from the federal government and insurance companies. Small businesses, small towns, and family farms all find federal red tape more and more burdensome. Every state should initiate a project to recommend dramatic streamlining to the Trump administration and Congress.
Project 5: Devolve power from the state capitol to local governments, private organizations and citizens. The same principle of decentralization we are applying to Washington bureaucrats should be applied to state government bureaucrats.
TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS
The technological revolution is immense, but its impact on public policy has been minor.
Project 6: Establish an advisory group of entrepreneurial innovators and ask them to rethink government in the age of mobile, digital, virtual, and personal (to borrow Carly Fiorina’s phrase). This group should look at four profoundly different possibilities arising from this technological revolution:
• How will these systems empower individuals so we can achieve personal and societal goals in dramatically better, more effective ways?
• How can we automate yet personalize government activities and services?
• How can we achieve savings in personnel and bureaucratic costs comparable with those being achieved in business?
• What are the government-imposed limitations and inhibitions on achieving these goals?
LEARNING PROJECTS
A major breakthrough will occur if we shift from talking about education to talking about learning.
President Abraham Lincoln estimated he had three years of formal schooling but he learned his entire life. Pioneers like Sebastian Thrun at Udacity are developing online learning systems much more powerful than traditional education systems. Obsolete government rules and institutions are major obstacles to shifting from a late-nineteenth-century education bureaucracy to a continuously evolving twenty-first-century learning system.
Project 8: Challenge every current accrediting system. They protect the past, block the future, and give enormous self-protecting power to professors to block competition. Each state should work with its employers to create a new achievement-based accrediting system. We don’t care how many hours you sat in a classroom. We care what you learned and what you can do.
Project 9: Emphasize science, math, and engineering. Establish a letter jacket program for bright students parallel to that for athletic programs. Encourage schools to recognize high achievers in math, science, and engineering. This worked for Governor Mitch Daniels, who pioneered this area.
Project 10: Every state should review the tax paid curriculum and ask if taxpayers’ money and students’ time is being wasted on destructive detours from useful learning. As universities have grown bigger, the dominance of the weird and the fake has grown. The Ohio State University offers a course on “the problem of Whiteness” (this is a current fad, with the Universities of Southern California, Wisconsin, and others joining in). When black students demand a segregated space on a public campus to exclude whites, taxpayers have every right to demand an integrated America. We do not have an obligation to fund the destruction of our civilization. Taxpayers have no obligation to subsidize or support the intellectual narcissism of the Left and the tyranny of radicals.
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