America's Promise | Friedman and Brooks

HopeTracker| David Brooks is America’s cheerleader in his column Relax, We’ll Be Fine. Reporting on two new books “The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050” and “Rebound: Why America Will Emerge Stronger From the Financial Crisis” Brooks refuses to bow to the lack of optimism sweeping much of America and especially in Washington.

Instead, Brooks makes the case why America’s future is reborn in the mold of ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Madmen’. Let’s hope some women have key executive roles in this new vision of America.

With larger families in the wings, I also share this vision of a more traditional America and wonder how women will fare trying to balance career and kids, with no support from business or government.

Presumably they didn’t rehearse their column in advance, but Tom Friedman also takes a look at America, making the case that both Republicans and Democrats have brought their primary party agendas to fruition. 

In the 21st century the parties must stop arguing and focus on the basics of helping Americans thrive going forward. Friedman uses the term ‘Newocrats’, advanced by Edward Goldberg in the Globalist. The “ ‘Newocracy’ combines the multinational corporate manager, the technology entrepreneur and engineer, and the aspirational members of the meritocracy.”

Friedman says previously this group would have leaned Republican but today they are Democrats and presumably Independents. While they don’t agree with all of President Obama’s policies, they find a dearth of ideas for America’s future among Republicans.