Cronin and Loewy: Wishes for America no matter who wins | Policy

Americans love their country, but we understand that election time often puts a strain on our friendships and even family relationships. Additionally, we believe in freedom of speech and the right to hold opposing political views.

However, 2024 has been a challenging and trying year for this country. Most of us are tired of empty talk and political slander. We wonder why we can’t be more polite and respectful to each other, despite our different political ideologies and competing proposed policies.

The history of the United States is exceptional. The American economy and its current pace of technological innovation are the envy of the world.

Our American elections should be a model for democratic republics across planet Earth. And we have made serious progress in this direction. But, alas, we are not there yet.

As of this writing, days before Election Day 2024, we do not know who will be the next President of the United States. But here are a few things we know:

About 80 million voters will cast their ballots for former Republican President Donald Trump. About 80 million more voters will vote for the Democratic nominee, our current Vice President Kamala Harris. And perhaps as many as 82 million eligible American voters won’t vote at all.

So whoever wins will only get one-third or less of the eligible voters.

Here are a few things we need:

First, no matter who wins the 2024 election, we will need a period, or even a season, of national healing and unification. We will only be a strong country and a strong people if we respect each other, unite and make the compromises necessary to achieve our shared national aspirations.

We may have different political views on abortion, the war in Ukraine and immigration reform, but most of all we want America to be a prosperous and innovative country where everyone can find a good job, strive to own or rent suitable housing and have freedoms and a social life that bring satisfaction.

National leaders must set the tone and lead by example. They must listen and bring out the best in each of us. They should encourage us to come together, work together, and find common ground to guide future actions.

Second, no matter who wins the 2024 election, Americans deserve bipartisan spirit from everyone in our nation’s capital. We hope that the new president will recruit advisers and cabinet officials from both the opposition party and political independents.

No political party has all the answers. Complete one-party rule would violate the spirit of modern America.

Third, no matter who wins the 2024 election, our country needs to come together and better secure all of our borders. Deporting illegal immigrants, drug dealers and gangsters makes sense. Mass deportations are not needed. However, secure borders are a necessity, and Americans are united on the need for more secure borders.

There is clear bipartisan support for appropriate, sensible and immediate initiatives to address this problem. We need more Border Patrol agents, more judges to handle immigration cases, and much tougher laws to punish those who bring illegal drugs into the country. And strict rules against those who come here illegally.

Fourth, no matter who wins the 2024 election, the American government must become more efficient and declare war on fiscal waste, budget inflation, cost overruns, and subsidies.

Entrepreneur Elon Musk has volunteered to lead a commission to eliminate wasteful government spending. Trump approved the idea. We propose that several major business leaders, such as Mark Cuban and Bill Gates, who support Democrat Kamala Harris for president, join such a bipartisan national commission, whoever becomes president.

A top priority for the new national commission will be finding ways to stabilize and ensure the financial integrity of our shaky Social Security system. It should also be used to reduce our national budget deficit, which is both a domestic and national security priority.

Fifth, no matter who wins the 2024 election, we need to reaffirm our country’s commitment to a strengthened North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This US-European alliance is critical to our national defense. It was the most effective and successful military alliance in modern world history. We need to work even harder, in a bipartisan manner, to make it even more effective.

Sixth, no matter who wins the 2024 election, every leader in our government and in our private economic sector needs to step up efforts to combat the corrosive anti-Semitism that has emerged in our country.

This should be done in conjunction with similar efforts to eliminate racism and anti-Asian prejudice.

We remain a “nation of immigrants.” We have come a long way in promoting tolerance and respect for diversity. However, we will be a stronger and more resilient nation if we can eradicate all prejudice and become a model for the rest of the world.

Seventh, no matter who wins the 2024 election, US economic innovation is the envy of the world. The Economist just published a special report claiming that US investment in technology, both private and public, is far outpacing the rest of the world.

High consumer confidence and impressive US stock market returns are also very encouraging.

But no matter who wins the presidential election this Tuesday, we must recognize that the United States has greater income inequality than any other major wealthy country. Ninety percent of the wealth in the US stock and bond markets belongs to just 10% of our population.

Twenty-five percent of our population lives paycheck to paycheck. Sixty-two percent of likely young voters in a recent New York Times poll said they favor an overhaul of our political and economic system.

The fact is that while the American economic story is exceptional, a significant minority of Americans believe they have been left behind. They fear that the American dream of economic and social success is impossible for them.

The United States has made significant progress in providing a safety net for those who experience economic hardship for any reason. But more needs to be done, and it must be done in a bipartisan manner.

Eighth, no matter who wins the 2024 election, the national government and private sector leaders must actively work to create regulatory guardrails to prepare for disruption and especially the negative side effects of the artificial intelligence revolution.

People who are confused about the potential negative side effects of AI should read Nexus, a best-selling book by futurist philosopher Yuval Noah Harari. Any Democrat or Republican who fails to plan for the inevitable problems created by AI will be condemned by history.

Finally, we propose the creation of a national commission on American constitutionalism. The skills and experience of talented bipartisan leaders such as Liz Cheney, Nikki Haley, retired Justices Stephen Breyer and Anthony Kennedy, Senator Mitt Romney, and retired Federal Judge J. Michael Luttig will be used to reexamine the US Constitution and its strengths and weaknesses.

We Americans love our Constitution, but we need to think carefully about what amendments can be made to it to strengthen it and our country for the next 250 years.

Our constitution has served us well, but it is not perfect. Any changes to it must be carefully considered and prepared to strengthen our republic towards what we hope is a long, secure and prosperous future.

We have a much longer list, but that’s enough for today.

Finally, let us pray for our country and for the wisdom, health and leadership of our nation.