2 June, 2025 0 Comments

The Other Washington

June 2, 2025 By Leave a Comment

I just took a business trip to Washington D.C.

I came back inspired.

Now Washington and inspiration are rarely used in the same sentence these days but I came back full of patriotic fervor—albeit with a dash of melancholy.

First, Washington is a beautiful city.

The office buildings and museums are stunning, the monuments magnificent and the flowers provide an invigorating splash of color this time of year.

It’s fun to walk around and marvel at the sites and to soak up the energy of an important and substantial city.

We took a day trip to Baltimore for a few meetings and the vibe there was decidedly different.

Baltimore is a mystery to me.

It has great “bones” so to speak, row houses, several great universities, a picturesque harbor and a world class hospital. It also suffers from substantial blight, including thousands of abandoned buildings.

Based on its assets, you’d think Baltimore would be thriving, but it struggles. Years after the show ended, it still feels like you’ve arrived on the set of the great HBO series “The Wire.” But hope abides and we visited two amazing foundations hard at work to heal and help Baltimore.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Goldseker Foundation were gracious enough to meet with me and my colleagues at the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation to share their work and best practices. We left energized and educated.

Baltimore has dedicated people who continue to believe. That makes a big difference.

Back in D.C. we met with the wonderful people at the Bainum Family Foundation, the Aspen Institute, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Portrait Gallery to discuss the state of philanthropy, our nation and the possibilities that lie ahead as we gear up to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

Across town at the Capitol, Congress passed the “big, beautiful bill” at 4 a.m. while we slept. I doubt anyone read all 1,100 pages.

Democrats see the bill as catastrophic. Republicans hailed it as a nation changing (for the better) investment that will lower taxes and increase border security. Two vastly different perspectives that dovetail with the state of our nation these days.

I happened to fly to Washington seated next to my Congresswoman Lois Frankel. It was happenstance. I’ve known Rep. Frankel for a long time. We were mayors together back in the day, Lois in West Palm, me in Delray.

Also, on the plane, surrounded by a phalanx of Secret Service, was Eric Trump. Yes, he flew commercial.

Frankel and Trump—two ends of our national spectrum.

One side believes we are making America great again, the other believes we are in danger of losing our Republic.

Never the twain shall meet, wrote Kipling.  Rudyard’s old poem proves prophetic. We are so different it feels like we can never be brought together again. That saddens me, it ought to sadden all of us.

But when we landed, I saw the Washington Monument, the beauty of the Old Executive Office Building, the grandeur of the White House and the magnificence of the Smithsonian. And briefly my melancholy for a more united United States lifted–for just a moment.

We toured the newly built African American History Museum, toured the National Portrait Gallery and met with the men and women who bring these places to life.

We got insights from the head of the Marriott Family Foundation and the president of the National Center for Family Philanthropy who also happened to be the person who shepherded the “Giving Pledge” which is an effort by the nation’s richest to donate their life’s savings to charity upon their deaths. Not every rich person is an oligarch. But the oligarchs seem to get more attention than those who use their money to help people. It seems in vogue to be all out of empathy these days.

But from these philanthropic experts and historians we heard about innovative ways to impact problems, help those in need and move our nation forward.

All are concerned about our current state of polarization and dysfunction, but all are confident that we will have a brighter future.

On our third day in D.C. I awoke to the news that two young Israeli Embassy employees were murdered outside the Capital Jewish Museum, a few blocks from where we were staying.

The news shocked and saddened me. The two young people were known as “bridge builders.” We can hardly afford to lose those willing to extend a hand across the divide. And so, amidst my pride and hope, in crept a feeling of melancholy. Sometimes it can feel crushing.

But the people I had the privilege of meeting are smart, gentle and empathetic individuals dedicating their lives to the betterment of our world.

They are data driven but lead with heart and compassion— as all leaders should.

They are better than our politics.

The best of us serve. The best of us empower. We build up instead of tear down.

So, I hold on to my optimism about the future despite the headwinds which are substantial and at times seemingly intractable. But I also know that until ‘we the people’ demand more from our politics and our parties (both of them) we will never get to the promised land. We will never reach our potential as a nation.

Division, corruption, money, partisanship, chaos and plain old meanness are in the way of what we can be.

We need more independent leaders and far fewer sycophants who put their wallets and careers above the country’s future.

A visit to Washington reminds me of why I love America. I feel blessed to have been born, raised and educated here (thanks to the sacrifices of my immigrant grandparents).

It’s time to insist on a better path forward. America and its people, the world and its people deserve leaders focused on the future not the next political or financial opportunity.

I saw “the other Washington”. It’s full of wonder and possibilities. It deserves the support of those who currently spend their days fighting.

They are endangering the greatest nation this world has ever seen.

3 June, 2024 12 12 Comments

America…

June 3, 2024 By 12 Comments

General Thomas

I spent a long weekend in Washington D.C. a few weeks back.

Our family gathered to celebrate my nephew’s graduation from American University. Andrew earned a doctorate in history with a specialization in antisemitism. Sadly, it’s a timely degree, but it’s also sad because his area of study seems perpetually relevant. We can’t seem to shake the disease of hatred in our land and in our world.

On the plane ride to our nation’s capital, I read “Democracy Awakening” by the historian Heather Cox Richardson. The book chronicles the long struggle in America to live up to the Founder’s ideals that “all men are created equal.”

Since America’s birth, women, Blacks, Jews and just about every ethnic group and sexual persuasion and identity have struggled for equal rights and opportunities.

Yet there’s hope.

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Indeed.

Change takes a long time, but it does happen. Still, the struggle seems to be endless and at times despairing.

I have friends of every political persuasion—Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, liberal, conservative, moderate, center left and center right. Every one of them is despairing about the state of our nation–I am too. I’ve never been more worried about our future than I am right now. So, when I flew to Washington it was with a degree of trepidation. We were heading to a graduation ceremony, would there be unrest? Would we be safe?

The campus of American University was calm. We felt safe on a beautiful Spring Day in the capital. American is a beautiful school, the campus is stunning and full of flowers in bloom. It was idyllic.

As we traversed the city, I felt my patriotism awakening. I literally felt it.

Seeing the Washington Monument, visiting the astonishing National Gallery of Art and reveling in the majesty of Embassy Row, I felt immense pride.  America is a beacon for the world. We have accomplished so much and none of it came easy.

Indeed, you can feel the struggle, and the miracle that is America when you are in Washington. You can feel the heartbeat of this country beating on the streets of our capital city.

Washington D.C. sure takes a beating, and yes there is crime, homelessness, and violence but there is a whole lot of beauty and accomplishment in this city as well.

Washinton has been called a swamp and Congress and our inane politics certainly deserve condemnation. Our leadership is not serving America and that is why we don’t feel good or safe these days.

It’s hard to deny that reality. We are broken and actively breaking and that will continue until ‘we the people’ decide we’ve had enough of the clown show. There is so much good in this land, so much potential, so much more we can do–together.

Examples of American excellence and possibility can be found everywhere you look—especially in Washington D.C.

For instance, you can’t visit a Smithsonian Museum and not come away in awe.

Washington is a city that aspires, like our nation. You can see it in the architecture, the beautiful buildings, the magnificent churches, and the majestic statues.

I was particularly drawn to a statue of Major General George Henry Thomas, a Civil War hero located in the center of Thomas Circle. It was sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward and dedicated in 1879 at a ceremony attended by President Rutherford B. Hayes, three other Civil War era generals and thousands of soldiers.

There are 18 Civil War monuments in Washington D.C. One day I’m going to see them all.

Today, the Civil War still resonates, I think in part because we fear the possibility of another one. That’s an astonishing sentence to write, but the visceral hatred between political sides is real and palpable. And I felt it even more in Washington.

It wasn’t that I witnessed anything—except for a barrage of nasty political ads on TV—it’s just that the Civil War is all around you in D.C. There are the statues, there’s Arlington Cemetery built on the former plantation of Robert E. Lee, there’s the Lincoln Memorial and there are signs for Richmond, the one-time confederate capital which is only 108 miles away.

It’s a lot to absorb and the feelings you get in Washington are complicated and paradoxical, much like the feeling of being American in 2024. There’s immense pride but concern, there’s a feeling of strength and vulnerability and there is a confidence in our greatness but a gnawing worry about seeing it unravel because of the divisions in our society.

Lincoln’s words resonate across the centuries: “A House Divided Will Not Stand.”

I’m of the belief that most Americans don’t want to risk the greatest nation in the history of the world. But I am also of the belief that our political leaders are mostly horrible—and that cuts across both parties.

We have so degraded politics, that our best minds are avoiding service at all levels of our government. We, the people, are paying the price. Of course, there are exceptions, but they are exceptions not the rule and that’s my point. We must do better or we will continue to pay a steep price.

That said, America is sure worth fighting for. It’s a remarkable country and an essential one too.

We are the most generous nation on earth, if disaster strikes anywhere you can count on America to help. The greatness of this nation can fill the Grand Canyon.

But…we are not a sure thing.

We are an experiment. Everything we have built, everything that was fought for can slip away from us if we don’t right the ship.

Everyone has a prescription for how to do that. I’m no different. I think the key is compromise, we must learn to work together, or we will surely perish together.

But in a nation where compromise has become a dirty word, that’s going to be hard. But I sure hope we find a way forward.

We must.

Kerry and Perry…

Wishing my good friends Kerry Koen and Perry Don Francisco the happiest of birthdays. These exceptional men have shaped me in more ways than I can count. Kerry, former fire chief in both Boca and Delray, has become a touchstone for me long after we stopped working together in 2007. I respected Kerry as a chief, he was a great leader, and he built an amazing Fire Department. Kerry is one of those steady leaders, he’s not flashy by any means, but he’s effective and he’s strategic. He’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and he’s been generous in sharing that knowledge. We have great conversations and I cherish them. He always makes me think about subjects differently. His perspectives challenge you and if you lean in and listen you get a master class in leadership and life.

Perry is similar, but with a very different personality. I laugh and learn when I’m with Perry, the legendary former proprietor of Boston’s on the Beach. Perry has done so much over the years for so many—quietly without fanfare and with great sensitivity regardless of the situation. He’s the guy you want next to you in the foxhole if life gets messy. But he’s also the guy you want to grab a beer with and laugh. Like, Kerry, Perry sees the big picture often before anyone else does. He’s been a fixture in the lives of countless people. I wish them both many years of health and happiness.

 

 

11 January, 2021 5 5 Comments

This Cannot Be America

January 11, 2021 By 5 Comments

This is not America….

A little piece of you,

the little peace in me,

will die. For this is not America.

Snowman melting from the inside

Falcon spirals to,

the ground

(this could be the biggest sky)

So bloody red, tomorrow’s clouds—David Bowie

 

In my heart, America has always represented a glorious destination.

America was the land of milk and honey. The place/ideal where my grandparents risked it all to come so that my parents and their children and grandchildren could have an limitless future—free from violence and hatred.

Free….that was the operative word.

Free to be safe.

Free to pursue dreams.

But not free of obligations.

In my heart, Americans are called to build community.

We have an obligation to take care of our own.

We have to pay our civic rent.

It cannot be all about us and our needs and beliefs or we will cease to exist.

Last week, we saw visual evidence of what many of us have long suspected. The Promised Land is breaking. The dream that is America is slipping through our hands.

We need to wake up because we are coming apart at the seams.

Here’s the state of our union.

–The pandemic is raging.

Real people are dying and our health care system is buckling under the weight of cases.

—We are struggling to distribute a vaccine—and people are suffering and dying as a result.

–We couldn’t secure our own seat of government.

—It took us half a year to pass a stimulus bill (that both sides wanted) while people suffered, businesses closed, families were evicted etc.

The bill our feckless Congress finally passed is deeply flawed. I know people who got $600 who don’t need it and I know people who need more help. You would think we’d be able to figure out how to target aid so that ‘we the people’ get the most for our buck. Or in this case–$900 billion.

–We can’t agree on election results—the very table stakes of Democracy.

We can’t even have an orderly or peaceful transfer of power after an election that wasn’t particularly close as Mitch McConnell noted on the Senate floor.

A significant number of us deny climate change even as we see the seas rise, wildfires rage and 100 hundred year storms batter us multiple times every year.

Nearly 400,000 people have died from Covid and yet when I scroll through my Facebook feed people I know are calling it a hoax, a bad flu, a government conspiracy and a plot to take our freedoms away.

This lunacy takes a toll on those of us who respect scientists, respect election officials (my goodness Wendy Sartory Link did a great job in Palm Beach County), feel deeply for families who have lost loved ones to a deadly virus and revere those front line health care workers who are true heroes.

Our beautiful country is in peril.

Russian hackers looted our computer systems, put bounties on the heads of our soldiers and have bullied our allies.

China is run by an autocratic dictator who is brutalizing Hong Kong, stealing our intellectual property, locking up dissidents and loaning money to needy countries in an effort to make them beholden to Beijing.

Iran and North Korea are threats to Americans and our allies. And the list goes on.

Here at home, Florida is a Covid tinderbox.

Small businesses have been ravaged—each empty store front comes with a story of a dream dashed, livelihoods lost and a part of the fabric of our community lost.

It takes a toll. The death and division weighs heavy on us all.

Crises—whether they affect families, businesses, communities or nations– can either bind you together or drive you apart.

In the wake of the assault on the Capitol, a friend reminded me that on 9/12—a day after we were attacked by terrorists— we were all Patriots united in our resolve to love and protect each other. Sadly, over time that feeling dissipated.

The events of January 6 could have a similar galvanizing impact or the moment could be lost. But so far, we have retreated to our respective “sides.” It’s shameful.

The real challenge will be maintaining these United States. The real challenge will be finding a way to live together and serve our nation’s needs of which there are many.

To date, a productive way forward is eluding us and if we don’t figure this out, we will pay the heaviest of prices—we already are.

It’s time to wake up America.

We don’t have to agree. Let’s face it, we will never agree. But we do have to agree to live together peacefully and mind the guardrails or we will lose it all.

Disagreement over philosophy is one thing, but what is most worrisome is we are walking around with our own set of facts. I don’t see how that works.

As Daniel Moynihan once said: “you are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.”

Somehow we have to find our way through this fog.

We have to get to work on rebuilding the broken Promised Land.

The issues loom large.

Racism remains a sickening and very real problem.

You may not think Covid is real, great have at it.

But if there was some kind of conspiracy nobody told me about it as I was confined to a hospital bed for 39 days so sick that I was unable to lift my head. And I’m doubtful that 370K Americans agreed to die to make a hoax look real. Come on.

As kids, when we played sports, occasionally we thought the refs blew a call and we lost the game. Our parents told us to question the refs and protest respectfully. But if the referee stood by the call we were also taught to shake our opponents hands, congratulate them and wish them well. We’ll compete in the next contest. “We’ll get you next time” sure beats burning down the stadium.

As for the election…Mitch was right it wasn’t all that close. In our system, the states call the shots and if you don’t like the verdict you can go to court. But you better have evidence—allegations aren’t enough.  If you fail in court, that’s it.

We don’t want Congress overturning elections. We don’t want to insurrectionists storming the seat of government. This is not America, because if it is, we’re done.

Two thoughts went through my mind as I watched through tears the scenes from Washington D.C. last week.

I thought of 9/11 and I thought of when Jerrod Miller was shot and killed in Delray.

As many of you know, many of the 9/11 terrorists were living and training in Delray. It was a stunning revelation that added to the shock of the tragedy.

I was a City Commissioner at the time and I remember hearing from neighbors who were stunned and hurt that these monsters lived among us. I remember how we gathered as a community at Old School Square and the Community Center to pray, grieve and console one another. We were unified.

When Jerrod Miller, a 15 year-old, was killed in February 2005, we experienced anger and a level of sadness I could never adequately describe. But we came together, we tried to heal. We consciously fought our emotions to save what was good about our community and resolve to work on what was broken.

The truth is we were hard at work on race relations before the shooting—people were engaged and involved. After the shooting, we doubled down on those efforts. We went to church—together. We met in living rooms and held each other’s hands. That’s impossible in a pandemic, but we should be able to figure out how to draw each other closer—especially now.

We must find a way at every level of our society to re-engage, re-connect and remember who we are.

We remain a glorious destination. Now we have to find a way to get there together.