“I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men with a favourable presumption that they did no wrong. If there is any presumption, it is the other way, against the holders of power… Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” – Sir John Dalberg-Acton
How would you like to have a job where you could break the law without fear of punishment? It’s simple – become a congressman.
We’ve all worked with good and bad leaders in the past. For a leader to effectively perform his or her job, he or she must be capable of rallying and motivating the team members, championing the cause. Whether it be in the military or in a civilian job, a leader is often the first to act, showing others it’s okay to join.
George Washington was a master at this, explained in detail in the book, “The Real George Washington.” Frequently, Washington’s officers wrote in frustration that the commander-in-chief often acted in a manner likely to get him killed, which could have easily spelled the end of the American Revolution.
As one battle opened, Washington stoically rode out ahead of the entire Continental Army, within thirty yards of the redcoats. He was immediately engulfed in gun smoke from both sides, causing his officers to fear that when the smoke cleared, their commanding general would be dismounted, lying motionless on the ground. Later, at the siege of Yorktown, the general was often active in the trenches with his soldiers, being frequently sprayed with dirt from the thunderous cannonball blasts around him. This tenacity was also shared by other leaders like Alexander Hamilton who, just a few hundred yards from Washington, risked his life as he rode ahead, storming heavily-defended redoubts along the York River, climbing over giant felled trees and dirt embankments as bullets whizzed by him.
Unfortunately, among our nation’s political leaders, those days are long gone. Many bills, including the recent health care bill, do not apply to our congresspersons. While we are staring a massive health care entitlement in the face which threatens to increase taxes, cut benefits, discourage physicians from practice, and limit freedom of choice, our congresspersons are disappointingly (though not surprisingly) exempt.
In contrast to real leaders, our politicians are often the first to cast blame and point fingers yet last to admit wrongdoing. Charles Rangel (D, NY) has finally admitted to lying on his taxes from 2002 to 2006, but there’s still no resolution after a year of investigation [1]. David Vitter (R, LA) was caught soliciting prostitutes, but was not disciplined in part because his actions “did not involve his professional conduct” [2]. And, often times, the disciplinary action taken involves a mere admonishment and nothing more.
Honestly, it’s not that much to ask. It would be nice to feel that our government representatives actually believe the words coming out of their mouths. It would be nice to be able to listen to them and be able to focus on their words without being overcome with the sneaking feeling that we’re being lied to.
1. “Ethics Committee Expands Rangel Investigation,” huffingtonpost.com, October 8, 2009.
2. “Scandals, but No Censure; Congress Struggles to Police Members,” nytimes.com, October 17, 2009.
