Empathy & the common good

Hurricane Sandy wreaked destruction on the Caribbean and the Eastern Seacoast, but at least she left one positive development in her wake.

President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie set aside their political differences and teamed up to aid victims of Frankenstorm.

Hurricane Sandy wreaked destruction on the Caribbean and the Eastern Seacoast, but at least she left one positive development in her wake. President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie set aside their political differences and teamed up to aid victims of Frankenstorm.

President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie teamed up to aid hurricane victims. (White House Photo)

After touring the Jersey shore on Marine One and mapping out response plans, the Democratic president and the Republican governor said only nice things about each other.

Christie on Obama: "I want to thank the president for coming here today. It's really important to have the president of the United States acknowledge all the suffering that's going on here in New Jersey, and I appreciate it very much."

Obama on Christie: "I want to just let you know that your governor is working overtime to make sure that as soon as possible, everybody can get back to normal."

Sadly but not surprisingly, the disaster-dispatched detente delivered derision upon the governor from some fellow Republicans. They're angry with Christie—normally a sharp critic of the president—for finding anything good to say about Obama less than a week from Election Day. Such is the sorry state of partisan politics these days.

If you've paid attention to the pundits and/or followed the posts on news websites, you've noticed two primary arguments used to downplay Christie's and Obama's newfound bipartisanship.

The first argument goes something like this: The guv and prez shouldn't be praised for simply doing their jobs.

Oh, really? It's also the jobs of representatives, senators, state legislators and government executives everywhere to build consensus, work past differences and make government work for the people. But that hasn't stopped them from pitching political battles and practically—and, yes, sometimes literally—shutting down government over partisan disputes. We know we're living in strange and sad times when politicians make news for setting aside party differences and simply doing their jobs.

The second, and more cynical, argument sounds like this: Of course, Christie and Obama got along the other day; it's good for their political careers.

Excuse me? The opposite political "wisdom" governs Washington. Two years ago, the Senate Republican leader said: "The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president." The only thought that softens the shock of that assessment is the well-founded suspicion Democratic congressional leaders would follow the same track. Politicians advance up their parties' ladders by smashing the opposition; they get elected by scaring the voters. Rather than work together for the common good, our elected officials (it's impossible to think of them as "leaders") spend their energy plotting to step on the throats of members of the other party.

Christie's and Obama's bipartisanship for the common good provides a small measure of redemption amidst the chaos of Hurricane Sandy. Still, they're only two among thousands of elected officials. We live in an age when political hearts are so hardened, only the battering winds and pounding surf of a devastating storm can soften them—and then only a little bit, by only a few.

Hurricane Sandy grabbed absolute attention, as well it should, because it bashed the nation's most densely populated region with unusual ferocity. Americans always go for big storms and stories of heartbreak and valor.

But quiet calamities buffet our nation every day. Why don't we demand our elected officials demonstrate Christie's and Obama's level of post-Sandy bipartisanship to take on long-term and ultimately more consequential challenges? Like quality education for all, the economy, national infrastructure, affordable health care, the environment, a hedonistic and destructive entertainment culture and global partnership. You can add to the list.

Last week, we called for steps to create more constructive citizenship. They included nonpartisan primaries, fair and bipartisan congressional districting, constructive criteria for congressional leadership, and laws to punish attack ads and untruthful ads. We need to take these steps in 2013.

The response to Hurricane Sandy also revealed we need to take a prior step. As individuals and a society, we must learn again how to empathize. Sure, we can muster tender feelings for storm victims. But day-in and day-out, we must immerse ourselves in the feelings of other Americans and work from those feelings toward the common good.

That's a Christian virtue. Christians must lead the way.

Marv Knox is editor of the Baptist Standard.