In 1956 Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy published a Pulitzer Prize-winning book called Profiles in Courage. Speechwriter Ted Sorenson was with his aide, collaborator, ghostwriter, or all of the above. The book increased Kennedy’s name recognition ahead of his 1960 run for the presidency.

In 1984, former Vice President Walter Mondale was the Democratic nominee for the White House challenging incumbent Ronald Reagan. The Minnesotan would only win his home state and the District of Columbia. This landslide was one of the worst thrashings in presidential election history. Yet, Mondale deserves credit, probably forgotten, for two courageous actions in that campaign.

I recall 1980 as it was the first election I could vote. I remember Reagan hammering Jimmy Carter’s budget deficits, which averaged $63 billion per year. Reagan’s deficits would be nearly three times that. I would like to take the parties, people, politics, and the like out of this conversation. Democrats AND Republicans on Capitol Hill AND the White House are responsible for America’s $35.7 trillion debt.

A budget for an individual, family, business, or governmental entity like the federal government is rather simple. If you spend more than you take in, you have debt. Due to mortgages and credit cards, many people do.

Walter Mondale was rarely within ten percentage points or Ronald Reagan in the polls that year, often more. He did at least two brave, but politically ill-advised things in his campaign. First, he told the truth about taxes. He said he was going to raise them. He lost. Four years later George Bush infamously said, “Read my lips, no new taxes.” He won. As president, he raised taxes and then lost.

Government is ridiculously expensive. No one wants to pay for it. We get our military, Social Security, Medicare, and roads. I can give you War and Peace here for a long time, but we do get A LOT for what we contribute. People are notoriously in favor of cutting spending, but not the programs that benefit them. Thus, our dilemma. Thank you, Mr. Mondale, for your honesty. I have said for years, that if Beyonce, LeBron James, and Bruce Springsteen paid more taxes we could balance the budget. Once again, this is NOT political.

Next, Mondale was the first nominee to put a woman on the national ticket, New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro. Please keep in mind there were very few women in government forty years ago. She came from the House where less than five percent of members were ladies. There were no female governors and there are twelve today (2024). It was time. My friend Chet has commented “Men have screwed this country up long enough, it’s time to give more women a chance.”

The number of women in government has risen dramatically, which is good. The national debt has as well, which is bad. Former Vice President Dick Cheney once accurately said, “Ronald Reagan proved that deficits don’t matter.” Those prescient comments live on today no who is running things.

Thanks Walter! You tried.