By: J. Charles “Chuck” Coughlin
It’s the beginning of debate season. I’ve been asked over the last few days if debates are important and whether they matter.
The simple answer is they used to, before our Republic fell into a demagogic two-party system. Debates used to serve as a way for a candidate to build an electoral narrative, establish what they stand for, and instruct how they will govern while in office.
However, politics today has become an endless exercise in finger-pointing.
Republicans blame Democrats. Democrats blame Republicans. Every election becomes a contest over who is more dangerous rather than who has the better ideas.
Meanwhile, the problems that matter most to everyday Americans remain unaddressed – as if we are stuck in an endless rinse and repeat cycle every two years.
As Christians, we are taught that true freedom is not simply the exercise of our rights. True freedom is choosing, out of love for our neighbors, to put the needs of others alongside our own, to do what is best for the greater good, not simply to serve our own selfish interests. Ultimately, it is freedom from the tyranny of self.
Imagine what our politics would look like if we actually lived by that principle. Instead of asking how we can defeat the other party, we would ask how we can solve problems together.
Where is the serious discussion about fixing our immigration system? Rather than forcing families apart or sending people back to countries in crisis, why can’t we create policies that respect both the rule of law and human dignity? Why can’t we provide certainty for “Dreamers” who have grown up here and want nothing more than the opportunity to contribute to the country they call home?
Where is the conversation about giving children born into poverty the same opportunity to succeed as everyone else? Arizona has over 255,000 students enrolled in Title I schools because their families struggle financially. If we truly believe every child deserves an equal chance, shouldn’t we invest more in the education and support systems that help those children succeed?
Healthcare presents another challenge.
Federal funding reductions have left over 100,000 Arizonans without access to affordable coverage. Rather than accepting those losses as inevitable, shouldn’t we be asking how Arizona can develop sustainable funding solutions to protect vulnerable families? We have found creative ways to generate revenue for other priorities. Why not explore similar solutions for health care?
Education faces similar neglect.
Political gridlock has prevented Arizona from maintaining critical funding streams for K-12 education. Teachers continue to leave the profession because of low pay. Why are there 38 states where a starting public-school teacher gets paid more than in Arizona? Would you agree that a public school system that prepares students for success in life and work is worth investing in?
Universities and community colleges receive far less state support than they once did, even as Arizona’s economy increasingly depends on a highly skilled workforce. If we want our children to compete in tomorrow’s economy, we need to increase the number of students who pursue and complete an education beyond high school – it is critical for Arizona’s future economic growth.
Public safety deserves the same attention. Arizona asks its Department of Public Safety officers to protect our highways and communities, yet compensation often lags behind that of other law enforcement agencies. Recruiting and retaining qualified officers requires making that profession competitive.
Finally (and most critically in the short term), is the need for Arizona to develop a stable long-term revenue stream to purchase additional water rights to sustain our economic growth. California has senior water rights to Colorado River water. Arizona’s water leaders have already begun and executed plans to purchase California rights if Arizona augments California water by paying for desalination programs in that state. What is the next Arizona Governor willing to do?
These are the questions our candidates for governor should be debating. Instead, political campaigns often focus on tax cuts, ideological slogans, and attacks on opponents while avoiding honest conversations about how we will pay for the services that every growing state requires.
After more than forty years working on Arizona public policy, I have learned an important lesson: Arizonans are willing to invest in their future when leaders are honest about what they are asking for and why.
We saw that during the Great Recession when Governor Jan Brewer successfully asked voters to temporarily increase the sales tax to preserve education funding. We saw it when Arizona restored and expanded health care coverage to thousands of residents in need. We’ve seen that when Maricopa County voters have now approved transportation funding three separate times over several decades because they understood the benefits they would receive. Once again, we have also seen it over the last 30 years as Maricopa County voters have voted four times to support the safety net hospital system in Maricopa County, Valleywise, because they recognized the need and wanted to care for their neighbor as our faith calls us to do.
People are willing to support good public policy when they trust their leaders and understand the purpose behind the investment.
Arizona does not suffer from a lack of opportunity. It suffers from a lack of willingness from leaders to have difficult conversations about our shared responsibilities.
Our nation’s founding ideals proclaim that all people are created equal. But equality means little if we fail to provide genuine opportunity through quality schools, accessible health care, safe communities, and a functioning economy.
Our two-party system often leaves voters with a choice between competing grievances instead of competing solutions. Permanent political opposition has become a substitute for governing.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
If we truly believe in loving our neighbors, we should expect more from our leaders than partisan talking points. We should expect them to build consensus, solve problems, and make thoughtful investments that strengthen our communities.
Arizona’s future will not be determined by which political party wins the next election.
It will be determined by whether we choose to put our shared values ahead of our partisan divisions.
Come on, Arizona, do you want to, “Dance by water ‘neath the Mexican sky. Drink some Margaritas by a string of blue lights. Listen to the Mariachi play at midnight. Are you with me, are you with me?”