Now that the election is over and President-Elect Obama is preparing to take office on January 20, 2009, there are many interest groups pushing their agendas. Liberals are eagerly anticipating that Mr. Obama will have a “progressive” agenda, while conservatives think they see signs that he is veering towards a “centrist” agenda. I’m interested in a different agenda - the Ethical Culture agenda. As Felix Adler said, we should act at all times with the recognition that every human being has worth. People must be treated as ends in and of themselves, not merely as the means to an end. Here’s my take on how the issues facing this country should be handled under an Ethical Culture agenda. Please keep in mind that these are my personal views and not necessarily the views of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society or the American Ethical Union.

The most pressing issue on the minds of most Americans is the state of the economy. Many people have lost their homes when they were unable to make their mortgage payments. Many have been laid off when businesses downsized or failed. As of October, the national unemployment rate was 6.5%. I’ve read that if the three major auto companies file for bankruptcy, the rate will rise to 10%. Job loss has a devastating effect on the former employees and their families. Recognition of individual worth compels us to do whatever we can to see that jobs are retained, but if they are lost then those who are unemployed need to receive necessary services and benefits.

Everyone deserves equal access to health care, despite their income level. Too many Americans have medical problems that aren’t being properly treated because they cannot afford health insurance coverage. Childhood education is another area where there seems to be a great disparity based on income. Family problems, unsafe neighborhoods and poor schools make it difficult for children from low income families to receive a quality education. This must change.

Recognizing that all people have worth means that federal, state and local governments should never fail to respect the Constitutional rights of all individuals, even if the majority feels that certain people don’t deserve those rights. While the 9-11 attacks rightly made Americans very conscious of the need for vigilance, it also led to singling out individuals and groups for persecution without concrete evidence of wrongdoing and without employing traditional legal procedure. However, human rights should never be sacrificed, even for national security, on the grounds that the ends justify the means.

Depriving individuals of their right to make personal decisions affecting their own lives also deprives them of worth. Although some people may not approve of the choices others make, as long as those choices are made by adults and do no harm to anyone else, the government should support their right to make them.

With regard to foreign affairs, nations often pay little attention to the hundreds of millions of people in the world who are in dire poverty. Are the world’s poorest people any less worthy than people who are better off? We must make a concerted effort to help the world’s most needy. Also, military action is far too prevalent. All military action, even if justified for self-defense purposes and done on a limited basis, will have “collateral damage” and result in death and destruction, the ultimate deprivation of human worth. Torture degrades both the victim and the torturer and should never be permitted, despite the claimed need for the information obtained from that practice. Business practices that are harmful to the environment threaten all the people of the world and must be controlled.

I’m optimistic that Mr. Obama will follow an Ethical Culture agenda. If he wants my advice on this I’ll be glad to give him a call. Better yet, he can come to one of our Sunday Platforms.