Weston Forum - The American Dream at Risk: Jim Himes' Listening and Leading Tour

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Weston Forum - The American Dream at Risk: Jim Himes' Listening and Leading Tour

Jim Himes is concerned. Not necessarily about the Aug. 12 primary or any polling numbers predicting whether he or the incumbent, Chris Shays, will win the 4th Congressional District seat in November. No, Mr. Himes is concerned about the "American Dream," which he considers to be in jeopardy for the first time in American history.

"I've always believed that each generation gets to do a little better than the previous one if they work hard, play by the rules, and get an education. If you followed these three principles, you could be prosperous and well respected."

At his "Listening and Leading Tour," which stopped last Friday evening in the Weston Library's community room, Mr. Himes told an audience of approximately 60 people that this belief is now at risk.

The erosion of the U.S. economy, civil rights and adherence to the laws of the nation is what Mr. Himes sees as cause for concern.

In terms of the economy, the three areas Mr. Himes believes the nation must focus on are energy, education, and health care.

Referring to the energy crisis, Mr. Himes said, "For decades we have failed to lead in this area." He pointed to the energy crisis as one reason the economy is in such poor shape. According to Mr. Himes, ignoring the energy crisis has caused Americans to pay a high price at the pump and it is also "poisoning our planet."

Mr. Himes said part of the solution to this problem is to offer incentives for conservation and to put in place economic structures that will address alternative energy sources such as solar energy.

Saying, "Education is at the heart of our economy," Mr. Himes added that innovation, the backbone of the United States' economy, depends on educating its entire people.

Mr. Himes believes a health care plan similar to the Obama and Clinton proposals is what is needed in the United States. He made it clear that he was not proposing transitioning to a European model. Mr. Himes advocates a public plan, offered along with private plans, with everyone subject to the same rules; a basic standard of care offered to all; and subsidies for those who cannot afford either plan.

He also wants to see cost efficiencies implemented, including physician payments shifted more toward preventative care and a reduction in defensive medicine.

Civil rights

With regard to civil rights and respect for the Constitution, Mr. Himes said, "We are supposed to be a country ruled by laws, not men. No individual, no corporation, no President is above the law."

Later in his two-hour visit - which included a "listening" session during which Mr. Himes heard audience members relate their concerns (see related story on Page One), followed by a half hour of one-on-one discussions with the public - Mr. Himes said, "I don't want to undersell the threat to our times, but if we give up our commitment [to the Geneva Convention and our Constitution], then we have lost."

Concluding, Mr. Himes admitted that all these issues are "hard issues" to tackle and that he does not have all the answers.

"We have been told for the past seven years that we may have problems, but that they are simple ones. However, reality has intervened," Mr. Himes said. He emphasized that Americans need to decide how they are defined as a country.

He said the Founding Fathers faced problems that called for "great, improbable" solutions, and John F. Kennedy's science initiatives led the United States to the moon, but were described at the time as "hard and improbable."

Stating that he is an optimist, Mr. Himes said, "We are a country that can do the ‘hard and improbable.'"...

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