Interview with Bernie Horn of the Center for Policy Alternatives

The 2008 presidential election is the first election since 1928 where an incumbent has not run. This fact alone leaves the doors wide open for governmental change.

I was able to talk with Bernie Horn, Senior Director of Center for Policy Alternatives about this change and the direction the country is headed.

Before I get into the interview and what we talked about, it's important to explain the function of the Center for Policy Alternatives. The Center for Policy Alternatives is a 501c3 non-profit, non-partisan educational organization based in Washington DC. They primarily focus on progressive state legislation and helping state legislatures pass good policies all over the country. In the words of Mr. Horn, "We don't change legislation. We help people who are trying to change it. We try to empower and educate them. It's up to them to make it happen."

Progressive, as it related to politics, is not a new term. It is a general branch of political thought dating back to the early 19^th century that arose as a response to change brought on industrialization. The progressive movement focuses on workers rights, social justice, environmentalism and more recently anti-trust laws. In a nutshell, progressive politics are about bringing change.

Hackworth: When you talk about state legislation what issues are you focused on?

Horn: We work on all kinds of state legislation all across the board, but we work primarily for proactive progressive ideas such as increasing the minimum wage, the living wage in MD, increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit or anti-discrimination legislation or consumer protection. We do everything from soup to nuts so we do everything.

Hackworth: Your center is trying to empower the states?

Horn: Yes, right now very little can happen in Washington DC. Surprisingly quite a lot happens in the states. States have been called the laboratories of democracy, and they really are. If you want to institute a national policy, it's smart to try it in states first. Many states have pioneered, for example, a prescription drug discount legislation or pioneered things like mandatory sick leave for workers in large enough businesses, they have pioneered all kinds of educational reform it just makes sense to try it out somewhere before you implement it nationwide.

Hackworth: What would say are the most progressive states?

Horn: There are traditionally progressive states like Mass, NY, CA. But in recent years New England states from Maine through CT have been at the forefront, and there are some states where a change from republican to democratic leadership that has unleashed a big wave of new legislation. Like Colorado, like when a democrat took governorship control of Ill, like when Richardson became governor of NM. So some surprising places have been leaders of progressive ideas.

Hackworth: If you had to say that the work that you are doing, if you had to gauge your success rate with working with the states, does it look like there is hope?

Horn: Yes, there is tremendous hope in the states. In the last few years the states have enacted a tremendous variety of very good policies and they are now showing how they work for health, for reforming criminal justice, for improving education and even for improving elections. We are very proud of state legislatures that we work with because they have been very good at leading the progressive movement while it's been stalled in Washington.

Hackworth: Do you think that the country is moving into a progressive era? We hear in the national media, we hear about the war every day and how many soldiers have died and we hear about the scandals within the powers that be. Do you believe that we are moving into a progressive era where the people can actually do something?

Horn: I think that right now we have more of an anti-republican, or an anti-conservative, or anti-neoconservative movement people are repelled with what is going on in Washington but they don't exactly know what they are for. It's easy to be against things. I think what is lacking is a vision of what we are for. If progressives were able to explain their vision that America would move in that direction, but if they are just simply going to be anti-conservative or simply anti-republican than I think we are just going to have continuous stalemates.

Hackworth: If you had to define progressive status here in this country how would you define it?

Horn: We at the Center for Policy Alternatives have our own definition. We say that progressives favor freedom, opportunity and security for all Americans. It is a truly American philosophy, but the difference is that if you extend these rights and privileges to all, you are progressive. If you are in favor of freedom, opportunity and security for some, then you aren't progressive. It's a little bit difficult to extend opportunity for all because many Americans they are in dire straits. It's not a question of so much of accomplishing it, it's moving in that direction. If we measure our policies against a goal, against a vision, then I think that Americans can rally around it. If we just create a laundry list of policies such as we are for universal health insurance, pro-choice, whatever, that's not going to create a movement.

Hackworth: People are afraid of voicing their opinion anymore. What advice would you give to motivate people to get involved in the process?

Horn: Our organization is a resource and we invite everyone to look at the materials that we distribute and use them in their own local and state governments. What would motivate you to get involved? I think it's an understanding of how close things are. Right now things could go either way. We are in kind of a desperate situation where the last several elections were decided by tiny majorities. The 2004 presidential was decided by 60,000 in Ohio. This is the time, that if you get involved, you can make a difference because it could go either way.

Hackworth: If people wanted to get involved in your organization how could they do that?

Horn: They should go to our website and see what we can do for them. What we are doing is proving resources and it should enable people to participate more effectively in local organizations and campaigns.

Hackworth: As a lawyer, do you see abuse in the system that needs to be changed?

Horn: Oh yea. I think that there are tremendous constitutional abuses going on. The things that are going on in DC are things that would not have been imagined by my law professors thirty ears ago. There's no real solution here other than the democratic process because I don't see the Supreme Count fixing it.

Hackworth: I think that the Supreme Court has encroached on the other branches of the government.

Horn: Yes, and I think our founders would be appalled.

Hackworth: If we really wanted to take back America and really have a voice what can we do? What would you say to the American people to make them do something in this next election?

Horn: Individuals have to participate and not throw up their hands and think that they can't make a difference. There are a bout a half million elected offices in the U.S. so it's just not about president, senate or house. It's about getting involved in any number of state, county, city, local elections and getting people in office that are going to represent average Americans.

Hackworth: Where do you feel in history that we dropped the ball as far as grassroots projects and the people?

Horn: I don't know. I think that Viet Nam and Watergate certainly made people cynical and they became less involved in government. It's a shame because we have the greatest situation, we have the greatest resources, we have the most powerful country and we can make a much better America than we have, but it we leave it to the people who have a financial interest to shape laws and manufacture public opinion we are going to have that kind of government.

Hackworth: The thing is, I think we choose our politicians and statesman out of media creations.

Horn: Yes we do.

Hackworth: As we said earlier, people have to stand up and voice their opinion. I think we are living in a culture of fear where people are afraid to speak their minds. I don't know how we came to this point.

Horn: Well, there are people who are afraid to speak their minds, and people who are apathetic or have decided that no matter what they say it's not going to change anything. When you step outside and let things be run by the people who stay inside you can't expect a good result. It's going to be a less responsive government, a less responsible government. The way to take back government is to participate.