Weekly Wisdom | The COMMON GOOD
With intense political polarization, it’s difficult to find common ground between the major parties. And with institutional trust at its lowest level in decades, achieving meaningful progress for the common good is seen as improbable at best. This blog believes the MAGA movement would politically benefit by championing popular initiatives in infrastructure, healthcare, and the environment. Furthermore, advances in these areas tend to impact the quality of life of the population more broadly than just the 1% of income earners.
Some facts and policies worth considering:
The 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure by the American Society of Civil Engineers rated our overall infrastructure as a C. Infrastructure, whether roads, bridges, airports, or sewage plants, affects the quality of life of every American. Politically, it is a winner: few Americans oppose nice sidewalks and efficient ports.
In President Trump’s first term, a $1 trillion infrastructure plan was proposed but never voted into law. Currently, the president is doing a great job helping the AI and defense industries rebuild our defense industrial base while reinvigorating our energy sector. And while these efforts will help our economy immensely, it’s also important to make sure the average American, not in Silicon Valley or on Wall Street, benefits.
As prior posts have noted, the MAHA movement is hugely popular with Republicans, independents, and some Democrats. And with a sick population, broad-based solutions are necessary and critical for the future health of the American people. Whether it is phasing out synthetic dyes like Red 40 by the end of 2026 or reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test, the American people will reward politicians and movements that support the overall health of its people.
The Hudson River cleanup of the past decades shows how government can play a constructive role in maintaining our pristine environmental resources. Due to the efforts of activists, corporations, and political leaders, the Hudson River is far less polluted than it was back in the 1970s. As a result, wildlife populations, including native fish and birds, are recovering to levels not seen in decades.
The Flint, Michigan, water crisis of 2014 had an infrastructure, healthcare, and environmental angle to it. Ailing infrastructure led to lead leaching into the regional water supply, sickening locals and contaminating the surrounding environment. The Trump administration’s political advisors would be wise to formulate and implement policies that improve our infrastructure, protect the environment, and advance better population-wide health outcomes. Society, as a whole, would be healthier and happier and the MAGA movement would benefit politically.
