Statesmen? or Politicians?

[Here is a blog that I actually wrote several weeks ago, but never got around to publishing. Enjoy.]

One statement has had more influence on my views of political involvement than almost any other. My late great-aunt Alice Morrison once said (referring to weak-kneed senators in Washington), “They need to stop being politicians and be statesmen again.” What she meant was that instead of pandering to political interest groups, and looking out for their own electability, our elected leaders needed to be a lot more concerned with doing what is right for their country and constituents. This has also always meant that for me, the only ways that I want to get involved politically is as a citizen first and always, and as a citizen statesman second. In other words, if I ever run for political office, it will be as private citizen taking a step to serve his fellows, not as someone who has preened himself for a political role.

As in a lot of areas, however, it seems to me that a lot of politicians today don't share in the least my ideas of political service and leadership. Too many politicians today don't care about statesmanship, but rather about how they're looking for the next election. This means memorizing the right sound bite lines, rather than telling it like it is. This means sneaking pork into bills to win favor and votes back home, rather than voting for what's right (and Constitutional!) for America regardless of the polls. This means using the title of “Representative” or “Senator” as a stepping stone in a personal career, rather than fulfilling a responsibility to serve their constituents and America.

This troubling tendency is nowhere more evident than in the current presidential contest. The President, more than any other American political figure, has the responsibility to be a statesman and leader, and yet, there is one candidate in this campaign who has built a good deal of his campaign and popularity on creating a celebrity image. Barry Obama has built an entire campaign on an empty “rockstar” image and empty promises of “hope” and “change”. He refuses to offer solid ideas, and seems unable to nail down a position on many of the issues that matter to Americans. His inadequacies and flip-flops have been documented by many others more competent than I, so the main reason I mention him here is that he is the ultimate example of a mere politician, an anti-statesman, so to speak.

John McCain, on the other hand, is someone whom I would trust with the reins of leadership. From his service in the Navy to his career as a senator, he has displayed traits that indicate the ability to serve his country as a competent president. Some question his soundness on certain conservative principles, but although I share those concerns to an extent, I would far rather have a real leader with whom I disagreed than a fake leader with whom I shared total idealogical harmony. And since I can fully support Senator McCain's positions on many of the issues that matter most to me, such as GWOT, taxes and pork, and life; I am proud to support him---the only statesman running for president.

(With gratitude to my Aunt Alice, rest in peace.)