The end of American statesmanship

In American politics, it seems like statesmanship is all but dead.

I think it is safe to say the few left who practice this rare craft are on their way out, given the way our politics have been heading.

What saddens me most is that a populist mood of anti-statesmanship has gripped the electorate in this time of economic hardship. We witness this theme in political movements across our land with demands that respectable statesmen, such as Senator Richard Lugar, must stand aside.

These demands originate from arguments that certain leaders have simply been in the system too long or have somehow become disconnected with their constituents.

I truly believe that our leaders are obligated to stay in touch, and liability for current affairs should rest with those in office. But I also think we have let these movements go unchecked, and frankly, they are a little out of hand.  

This has caused the electorate to resort to extremism, which promotes a polarized environment where no one takes ownership of a problem and inevitably creates hostility when no progress is accomplished.

Our call should be to commit ourselves to choose leaders who will take ownership of the issues and be focused on solving the problems for the nation at large. These leaders must engage in a process of civil and open debate without disparaging the character of their counterparts, which is a rare virtue of American politics today.

They must also be men and women of character with the knowledge and competence to make informed decisions.

I would submit to you that the greatest threat to our republic is our nation’s own civic ignorance. A recent example is from March of this year when Newsweek gave 1,000 Americans the basic U.S. citizenship test. Out of those 1,000 who took the test, 38 percent failed it.  

This civic ignorance, coupled with a notion that elected leaders must represent the interests of their constituents, should illustrate what I think is the greatest obstacle in solving our problems today.

My assertion is that, generally speaking, most Americans are not informed about the issues but still have this unusual expectation that their representatives should represent their interests.

In the Federalist Papers, James Madison warned us about this very subject.
“ … a popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to Farce or Tragedy or perhaps both,” Madison said. “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own Governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.”

My fear is that Americans are failing to arm themselves with the basic knowledge that enables each of us to be our own governors.

Whether we like it or not, there is a looming fear in our land that decline is inevitable. With the rise of China and America’s status as No. 1 challenged, it is easy for one to see how that could be the case.

However, I refuse to accept that. I argue the contrary and believe that while our challenges are great, we are a unique people who have overcome great challenges in our nation’s past.

In the coming decade, our leaders will have to specifically address three issues that I think will be essential to inspiring American confidence in the 21st century.

First, our leaders must get our nation’s treasury in order. This should include a robust discussion about levels of spending and taxation and the future of our nation’s debt.

Second, our leaders must solve the crisis in America’s classrooms. In order to maintain America’s economic might, key investments and reforms in human capital are absolutely critical.

Third, our leaders must make America the global leader in the fight against anthropogenic climate change.

During times of challenge in our nation’s history, it was only through a shared unity of purpose and a communicated vision for the future that we began to solve our great challenges in a civil way and restored our confidence. I hope and pray we choose leaders that can do just that in the coming age.

­— cjcaudil@indiana.edu