“We May Have Hit Bottom” – Senator Jeff Flake to the Graduating Class
of Harvard Law Today.
“Dean Manning,
graduates, Class Marshalls, families and faculty:
“It is such an honor
to stand before you today, on this very special day of celebration and
accomplishment for you and your families, in this annual season of
advice-giving. That is why I am here. I am very much hoping you can give me
some advice.
“I’ll soon be in the
job market myself.
‘I feel truly
privileged by your invitation. Congratulations to the Harvard Law Class of
2018! To be here in this place that has produced so many of our nation’s
leaders and our finest legal minds is deeply humbling. An institution that gave
the world Oliver Wendell Holmes, a majority of the current Supreme Court, and
not only Barack but Michelle Obama, too – well, it all has me wondering if I
didn’t somehow receive this invitation by mistake.
“I’ll always
remember the decadent celebration after graduation at my beloved alma mater,
BYU. Bowl after bowl of rocky road, double fudge chunk and butter pecan. Hey,
when you’re Mormon, ice cream is all you’ve got.
“I am not only
humbled by this place, I am also humbled by this moment in the life of our
country. You see, you are set to inherit the world in just the nick of time.
“I am also
especially humbled given the fact that I come to you today from the political
class. In utter seriousness, it is I who could benefit from listening to you
today rather than speaking to you, as I am not so sure that there is much
distilled wisdom to be imparted from Washington these days, given what has
lately become the tawdriness of my profession. I am here today as representative of a co-equal branch of our federal
government, which is failing its constitutional obligations to counteract the
power of the president, and in so doing is dishonoring itself, at a critical
moment in the life of our nation.
“And so, with humility, let me suggest that perhaps it is best
to consider what I have to say today as something of a cautionary tale –
“about the rule of law and its fragility;
“about our democratic norms and how hard-won and vulnerable they
are;
“about the independence of our system of justice, and how
critically important it is to safeguard it from malign actors who would
casually destroy that independence for their own purposes and without a thought
to the consequences;
“about the crucial predicate for all of these cherished American
values: Truth. Empirical, objective truth;
“and lastly, about the necessity to defend these values and
these institutions that you will soon inherit, even if that means sometimes
standing alone. Even if it means risking something important to you, maybe even
your career. Because there are times when circumstances may call on you to risk
your career in favor of your principles.
“But you – and your country - will be better for it. You can go
elsewhere for a job, but you cannot go elsewhere for a soul.
“Not to be unpleasant, but I do bring news from our nation’s
capital. First, the good news: Your national leadership is…not good. At all.
Our presidency has been debased. By a figure who has a seemingly bottomless
appetite for destruction and division. And only a passing familiarity with how the
Constitution works.
“And our Article I branch of government, the Congress (that’s
me), is utterly supine in the face of the moral vandalism that flows from the
White House daily. I do not think that the Founders could have anticipated that
the beauty of their invention might someday founder on the rocks of reality
television, and that the Congress would be such willing accomplices to this
calamity. Our most ardent enemies, doing their worst (and they are doing their
worst), couldn’t hurt us more than we are hurting ourselves.
“Now, you might reasonably ask, where is the good news in that?
“Well, simply put: We may have hit bottom.
“(Oh, and that’s
also the bad news. In a rare convergence, the good news and bad news are the
same - Our leadership is not good, but it probably can’t get much worse.)
“This is it, if you
have been wondering what the bottom looks like. This is what it looks like when
you stress-test all of the institutions that undergird our constitutional
democracy, at the same time. You could say that we are witnesses to history,
and if it were possible to divorce ourselves from the obvious tragedy of this
debacle, I suppose that might even be interesting, from an academic
perspective. The way some rare diseases are interesting to medical researchers.
“But this is an
experience we could and should have avoided. Getting to this state of distress
did not occur naturally. Rather, this was thoroughly man-made. This disease of
our polity is far too serious to not be recognized for what it is, the damage
it threatens to do to our vital organs is far too great for us to carry on as
if all is well. All is not well. We have a sickness of the spirit. To complete
the medical metaphor, you might say that we are now in critical condition.
“How did we arrive
at a moment of such peril – wherein a president of the United States publicly
threatens – on Fox & Friends, historians will note -- to interfere in the
administration of justice, and seems to think that the office confers on him
the ability to decide who and what gets investigated, and who and what does
not? And just this week, the President – offering an outlandish rationale,
ordered an investigation into the investigation of the Russian attack on our
electoral process – not to defend the country against further attacks, mind
you, but to defend himself. Obviously, ordering investigations is not a
legitimate use of presidential power.
“I pick this
egregious example of recent presidential conduct not because it is rare in
terms of this president’s body of work, but because it so perfectly represents
what we have tragically grown accustomed to in the past year and a half.
Who would have thought that we would ever see encouragement coming from the
White House for chants at rallies calling for the jailing of a defeated political
opponent. When you don’t even know that there are limits on presidential power,
then you might not even care when you are abusing that power.
“How did this happen
to us? And what might we learn from it? How did we get swept up in this global
resurgence of the authoritarian impulse, which now has democracies teetering on
the brink, strongmen placing themselves above the law, and in our own country a
leader who reveres some of the most loathsome enemies of democracy in our time?
“Have we really
grown tired of democracy? Are we watching its passing, cheered on by the
America First crowd even as we cast aside global institutions that have
fostered freedom, prosperity and peace for more than a half-century?
“For just a moment,
let us marvel at the miracle that is the rule of law. We have seldom been moved
to pause for such an appreciation, as we have been too busy taking it for
granted and assuming its inviolability – like gravity. But unlike Newton’s
Laws, the rule of law was neither innate nor inevitable. What goes up must come
down is a piece of cake compared to curbing the impulses of man and asking free
people to abide rules and norms that form a country, and foster civilization.
“It took centuries
of war and sacrifice and social upheaval and more war and great civil rights
struggles to establish the foundational notion that no one is either above the
law or unworthy of the protections afforded by a robust legal system, a system
that took us from feudal servility to a constitutional model that is the envy of
the world. And will continue to be, with your help.
“We trace the
beginnings of this radical egalitarianism – of the awesome and leveling effect
of the law - to the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which saw the death of the
divine right of kings, as even the monarch from that point forward would be
subject to the law – and the parliament even threw in a bill of rights for good
measure.
“But we are now
testing the durability of this idea that William III first had the good sense
to agree to, an idea which was then forged and tempered over the ensuing
centuries. And we are seeing its vulnerabilities. In other parts of the world
where democracy’s roots are not so deep, we are seeing it being torn down with
sickening ease and shocking speed. And worse, we are seeing the rise of
simulated democracies, Potemkin democracies, democracies in appearance and
affect only.
“Rule of thumb: If the only acceptable outcome in a matter of
law or justice is a result that is satisfactory to the leader, then you might
live in a democracy that is in trouble. If the leader attacks the legitimacy of
any institution that does not pay him obeisance – say, the independent
judiciary, or the free press – then you might live in a democracy that is in
trouble. Further to that point: when a figure in power reflexively calls any
press that doesn’t suit him “fake news,” it is that person who should be the
figure of suspicion, not the press.
“It will be the work
of your generation to make sure that this degradation of democracy does not
continue – to see to it that our current flirtation with lawlessness and
authoritarianism does not become a heritable trait to be passed down from this
presidency.
“The rule of law is an elemental value, a value that preceded
and gave rise to our Constitution. It is not an ideology subject to the
pendulum swings of politics, or something to be given a thumbs-up or thumbs-down
in a call-in to your favorite morning show. It is the basis of our system of
self-governance. America without the rule of law is no longer America.
“I am a conservative
Republican, a throwback from the days when those words actually meant
something, before the collapse of our politics into the rank tribalism we
currently endure. My sounding this alarm against a government that was elected
under the Republican banner and that calls itself conservative makes me no less
Republican or conservative. And opposing this president and much of what he
stands for is not an act of apostasy - it is, rather, an act of fidelity.
“Because we forget
this fact far too often, and it bears repeating a thousand times, especially in
times such as these: Values transcend politics.
As a conservative
Republican, I dare say that my idea of government may differ with the beliefs
of many of you here today. I will be thoroughly presumptuous and assume that in
terms of policy prescriptions, we disagree on much. (Call me crazy.)
But I have long
believed that the only lasting solutions to the problems before us must involve
both sides. Lawmaking should never be an exercise in revenge, because vengeful
people are myopic, self-interested, and not fit to lead. I believe that our
government should include people who believe as I do, just as I believe it must
include people who believe as my friend Tim Kaine does, or as my friend Cory
Booker does, to name but two.
The greatness of our
system is that it is designed to be difficult, in order to force compromise.
And when you honor the system, and seek to govern in good faith, the system
works.
Which brings us back
to our current peril. It is a testament to our times – and to the inflection
point that we face - that I am here today. For, setting aside the usual
requirements of politics, and the usual ways that politics keeps score, the
things that normally divide us seem trivial compared to the trials that have
now been visited upon our democracy.
“In the face of
these challenges, we agree on something far more important than a legislative
program, even more important than our thoughts on the proper role of government
in the economy and in the lives of individuals: We agree on the need to
safeguard the health and survival of constitutional democracy in America and
the preservation of the American idea itself – at a time when the values
underpinning our constitutional system and that extraordinary idea are under
threat, from the top.
“The values of the
Enlightenment that led to the creation of this idea of America – this unique
experiment in world history - are light years removed from the base, cruelly
transactional brand of politics that in this moment some people mistakenly
think is what it means to make America great.
“To be clear, we did
not become great – and will never be great - by indulging and encouraging our
very worst impulses. It doesn’t matter how many red caps you sell.
“The historian Jon
Meacham, in his splendid new book, The Soul of America, reassures that history
shows us that “we are frequently vulnerable to fear, bitterness, and strife.”
The good news, he says, “is that we have come through such darkness before.”
“Perhaps. But not
with both nuclear weapons and Twitter. And certainly not with such an anomalous
presidency as this one. But I take your point, Mr. Meacham, and am heartened by
it.
“We will get through
this, of course. But at the moment, we are in it, and we must face it squarely.
Because too much is at stake for us to turn away, to leave it to others to
defend the things we hold most dear.
“A culminating event
such as the election of our current president scrambles normal binary notions
of politics, and I am as disoriented as many of you are at this dealignment. We
find that many of the day’s biggest issues simply don’t break down neatly to
familiar ideas of left v. right, but rather more along these lines:
“--Do you believe in
democracy, or not?
“--Are you faithful
to your country, or to your party?
“--Are you loyal to
the law and the Constitution, or to a man?
--Do you reflexively
ascribe the worst motives to your opponents, but somehow deny, excuse, or
endorse every repulsive thing your compatriot says, does or tweets?
“These questions
have sent some of us wandering into the political wilderness. And it is in that
wilderness where your wonderful letter of invitation reached me.
“Well, the wilderness suits me fine. In fact, I so love the way
Washington has become that in recent years, during congressional recesses, I
have taken to stranding myself on deserted islands in the middle of the ocean
to detoxify all these feelings of love out of my system. I am not kidding.
“I once spent a week alone, voluntarily marooned, on a tiny
island called Jabonwod, a remote spit of sand and coconut trees in the central
Pacific, about 7,000 miles from Washington.
“As penance, and determined to test my survival skills, I
brought no food or water, relying solely on what I could catch or collect.
That, it turned out, was the easier part. More difficult was dealing with
the stultifying loneliness that set in on the first night and never left
me.
“By day three, for companionship, I began to mark the hermit
crabs that wandered through my camp with a number, just to see if they would
reoccur. By the end of the week I had 126 numbered friends. I still miss number
72, who rarely left my side after developing an addiction to coconut scraps. I
was less fond of number 12, who pinched my big toe.
“Now, I would not recommend such drastic measures to escape your
situation, but I hope that should you be presented with the hard choice, you
too will eschew comfort and set out into the wilderness rather than compromise
your conscience.
“From my cautionary tale to you today, I urge you to challenge
all of your assumptions, regularly. Recognize the good in your opponents.
Apologize every now and then. Admit to mistakes. Forgive, and ask for
forgiveness. Listen more. Speak up more, for politics sometimes keeps us silent
when we should speak.
“And if you find yourself in a herd, crane your neck, look back
there and check out your brand, ask yourself if it really suits you. From
personal experience, I can say that it’s never too late to leave the herd.
“When you peel off from the herd, your equilibrium returns. Food
tastes better. You sleep very well. Your mind is your own again. You cease
being captive to some bad impulses and even worse ideas.
“It can strain relationships, to be sure, and leave you eating
alone in the senate dining room every now and then. But that’s okay. To revise
and extend a remark the president himself may recognize: You might say that I
like people whose minds weren’t captured.
“That one was for you, Senator McCain. We’re all pulling for
you.
“Politically speaking, I have not changed my beliefs much at
all. But my goodness, how I have changed. How can we live through these
abnormal times and not be changed?
“Our country needs us now. Our country needs you.
“We need each other, and it is a scoundrel who would prosper
politically by turning us against each other.
“From our time, let us send a message into the future that we
did not fail democracy, but that we renewed it. That a patchwork of populist
resentments and authoritarian whims that for a while succeeded in its cynical
mission of discord had the ultimate effect of shaking us from our complacency,
reminding us of who we are and of our responsibilities to each other. Of
reawakening us to our obligations as citizens.
“Let us be able to say in the future that we faced these forces
that would threaten the institutions of our liberty and tear us apart and that
we said: NO.
“I leave you today with more good news and bad news. This time I
will start with the bad news, which is: All of this is yours to fix. All of it.
“And that of course is also the good news: All of this is yours
to fix, and our country could not be more fortunate than to have people of your
high character, strong principle and awesome talent soon taking the helm.
“I grew up as a kid on the F-Bar Ranch in rural Arizona, and if
we needed to gauge the condition of the range or to measure the damage after a
flood, we would find the highest hill or butte and ride our horses to the top.
From such a vista we could dispatch cowboys to gather cattle, machinery to
shore up roads, or workers to repair fences – to restore some semblance of
order.
“There are no tall buttes in Washington. But it is nonetheless
our obligation to assess the condition of our politics, then to mitigate and
repair the damage.
“It is the story of America, though, that we will be better for
the hard lessons of this experience. We are much better and more decent than
Washington shows us to be. We are a good people. And we are a deeply
resourceful and resilient nation, and our greatness is based on no one man – no
one man who “alone can fix it,” but rather on enduring ideas of self-governance
and the rule of law that have been a model for the world for centuries. Ideas
that can be mocked, but not marred.
“No, there are no high buttes in Washington, but still we must
gain the high ground, and survey the damage. And the thing about gaining the
high ground is from up there you can see beyond the damage, too. You can see
everything. Everything that is good and decent.
“That is the job before us – to get through this, and beyond it.
And you’re just the ones to take us there.
“Thank you. And once again, congratulations to the Harvard
Law Class of 2018!”
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