THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603080699
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: [SAM GLASSCOCK]
LENGTH: Long : 111 lines
The question is timely and important, but the answer is not easy. Our effort should focus on the system and the process by which the system operates. We must ask the right questions and see where they lead us.
What should we expect of our government leaders?
The question is not what do we expect, but what should we expect.
Our government leaders should be people of honesty and integrity. We should want them to have a sense of public responsibility and to respect the public. We should want them to act with a concern for fair play, opportunity for all and the future of America. They should provide for the services we need at reasonable cost and with the least intrusion necessary. They should study the issues and try to make those decisions that are best for all of us.
How well do our government leaders meet those expectations?
The great majority of our government leaders try to meet them, but our elected leaders must, of course, be elected. They often seem to be controlled by special interest groups, whose money and support are needed in a successful political campaign. We sometimes question their campaign tactics, their appeals to our fears and prejudices, but they believe them necessary to capture the votes of particular groups. They often seem to be more interested in party politics than in the welfare of the country. They are sometimes unwilling to address the major issues affecting present and future Americans because they fear that the right solutions will result in the loss of votes. The traditional distrust of government leaders has been aggravated by some of the events of recent history, and many of us have lost respect for our government leaders.
What should we expect of ourselves?
We should expect the same things of ourselves that we expect of our government leaders. We should be people of integrity, interested in fair play, equal opportunity and the future of America. We should think of our country and not just ourselves.
How well do we meet those expectations?
Most Americans are motivated to be good citizens, but there is much room for improvement. Our culture is materialistic, too interested in ``me,'' ``now'' and ``just do it.'' Many of us cast our votes for the candidates who agree with us on a single issue. We favor the candidate who plays to our prejudices, our fears and our own pocketbooks. We allow ourselves to be taken in by distorted political ads. If we have cause to complain about our government leaders, we must accept a good part of the blame ourselves. Our government leaders are in office because we put them there. We sometimes do not really want our government leaders to study the issues and make those decisions that are best for all of us. We want some personal advantage and a shifting of the public burden to someone else. In short, the problem with our government leaders lies with all of us.
What is the role of our private leaders?
Business people, teachers, ministers, scout leaders and many, many more set the example. Their obligations are no less than what we should expect of our government leaders. Business leaders, particularly, should help explain what is happening to us as we continue to move toward a global economy and help us make the transition with concern for the dignity and well-being of employees and customers. Teachers and ministers also have important roles to play. Organized religion should be a force for goodwill and tolerance, not an institution that emphasizes our differences. All of us are leaders to someone else, and we need to recognize the responsibility that position carries.
What agreements among us all would make our democracy stronger?
Let us consider a few of them.
1. We must improve the method by which we choose our government leaders. A better system of financing elections is essential to keep the candidates from having to rely on special interest groups for campaign funds. More effective campaign disclosure laws are needed. We must also address the issue of campaign advertising. There are too many distorted political ads, but they will continue to be effective until we penalize their use with our votes. The news media is one of our best hopes in exposing distorted ads, but the greatest responsibility lies with all of us. We must study the issues, think fairly and critically about the statements of the candidates and vote for those who deal with us honestly and fairly in their campaigns.
2. We must encourage our best and our brightest citizens to run for office. Many good people are reluctant to run because of the commitments required to raise the necessary campaign funds and the personal abuse they sometimes receive. The candidates almost universally deserve our respect, if not always our support.
3. We must improve the legislative process. The rules should provide for fair play, with full and honest consideration of the issues. Some suggestions, such as term limits, may simply transfer power from the elected representatives to the unelected bureaucracy. The system would be greatly improved if the proposals in a particular piece of legislation were all germane and did not cover a multitude of diverse issues. We should endeavor by better disclosure laws and other methods to reduce the sometimes unwarranted influence of special interest groups. We must allow our leaders to address the tough issues responsibly without fear of certain defeat.
4. The news media must help us make more intelligent decisions by giving us in-depth and objective information about the candidates and their positions and by exposing distorted political ads. We need to read, listen, watch and think as that information is given to us.
5. All of us, government leaders, private leaders and the rest of us, must dedicate ourselves to the marvelous principles set forth in the Constitution. The Constitution was a stroke of genius and wise improvements have made it even better. It provides for freedom and due process. It allows the majority to rule, but it protects basic individual rights and prevents the tyranny of the majority. Despite its greatness, the Constitution will not work without our individual and voluntary commitment to abide by its ideals.
6. We must emphasize what unites us. We should revel in our diversity, but think Country, Community and the Common Good. We must tap the enormous amount of goodwill and compassion that still exists in this country and continue to make this the greatest country on earth. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Sam Glasscock, an attorney who lives and works in Suffolk, served in
the House of Delegates for 21 years.
by CNB