So I decided to take time out of my busy school schedule to put some thoughts down.
My colloquium (a fancy way to say "seminar") class is in US Economic History specifically focused on The Public Interest. So my professor has assigned us various readings on different topics all relating to what constitutes the "public interest".
This week our reading is on the rise of the New American Right, which for all you non-history buffs arose, largely, out of Orange County, CA in the 1960s. But this week is also the week where myself and a couple others have to bring in extra documents (specifically articles) discussing this topic as recently as today. So in reading all this literature on the New Right I find that my opinion still stands as: The ONLY position a political leader should take is a Moderate one.
This is why:
You cannot please everyone completely the best you can do is please most people mostly. Popular opinion in any country is pretty accurately represented by a bell curve, most people are middle of the line with only a few outliers to the right or left. Not to say that the world cannot benefit from more extreme ideals. Indeed one of my favorite quotes by Bertrand Russell speaks to this idea, but when it comes to the political realm there is no room for any kind of extremist fundamentalism.
I would suggest that our political leaders do the following:
Check your extremist ideologies, your religion, your personal beliefs, your opinions and your prejudices at the door.
As a public servant you need to do what is BEST for your constituency, your public. While the majority is not always right and may need to be guided they should not fall prey to the opinions of you -their leaders- alone, who are just as ignorant and damaged in their opinions and beliefs as anyone else. Also, if issues of race, religion or sex make you uncomfortable, don't be a politician. The world has not benefited from the racist, intolerant and/or prudish views of politicians. People come in different colors; they have the right, same as you, to choose their belief system and if they want to have sex with their best friend's greased up rubber chicken, then that is their right too.
As leaders you are there to protect our fundamental rights, to guide public policy in the interest of the greater good. You are there to compromise and work with other leaders to achieve that greater good. If the government is to remain the mediator in people's social welfare then that's what it needs to do Mediate not Dictate.
To be called to public service should be out of a genuine desire to help your fellow man, not to get rich or put others down. Look at others within the service industry, do they make a good living? Many times the answer is no. Service of any kind is a thankless, tiring job, but one that when done for the right reasons is incredibly rewarding.
I never thought I would be concerned with politics on any level other than knowing who my current president was. Yet, as I've gotten older, had children and developed an academic interest in society I have become greatly concerned with the state of our world. I do believe that we are in a period of social upheaval and change. While this is a frightening and confusing time for most all of us, it is also exciting because what is emerging is a whole new world.
Going into this world I would like to have the best kind of people leading the way. Too often our elected officials are not of the right "caliber" for the job, yet we elect them anyway. This is either out of apathy, ignorance or because we feel we have no other option. What this has caused is a system grinding to a halt as those elected to represent us, that (supposedly) have our best interests at heart are putting their own self-interests over their job. They are also unwilling to work with and seek viable compromises to very pressing, very important issues sheerly based on which side of the line they fall on.
On this point I will comment on the Founding Father's intent because when it comes to the 2 party system we see today they may indeed be turning in their graves. The Founding Fathers were wary of having a party system for the very reasons we are seeing today. Too often people become engulfed in their party and its statutes and forget to think or do whats right regardless of which "side" has the floor. I don't believe anyone anywhere is completely one-sided, I think we just make ourselves that way out of stubbornness and fear. All this does is bring progress to a standstill.
Democracy cannot function without compromise and this is a land built on compromise. This is a land whose founders were so afraid of tyranny and inequality that the first government they established had no executive head to mediate or make the final call. There maybe equality and fairness in numbers but that ONLY works as long as everyone involved is willing to work with each other to get things done for the good of the public, the good of the country and the good of themselves.
So right or left does not matter what matters, in my opinion, is that we work together to solve the problem for today, for tomorrow and for 100 years from now.
As for that Bertrand Russell quote it is as follows:
"Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric."
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