Redefining public service

Poor modeling

Many public servants are departing the U.S. Congress out of what appears genuine frustration that governance is the last in a long list of priorities these days. As I

noted, our Maryland Representative, John Sarbanes, is choosing that option over a tenth run. The brief Speaker of the House, North Carolinian Patrick McHenry, announced over the past month he too is departing along with several dozen others.

Yesterday’s statement by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy is somewhat different, however, as he is departing within 25 days rather than at the end of his term in 2024. I consider this indicative of a redefinition we are seeing of public service: getting my way or going home. Perhaps I am too harsh but is McCarthy notably less effective than he was before being Speaker? Or is this about some form of retribution he believes he inflicts on his colleagues who ousted him from his perch? Is this only about him?

Public service is an honour, whether elected or appointed. One is offered the chance to serve our nation and one’s community. The heart of our current paralysis is the inability and unwillingness to compromise. It really is a simple problem with profound implications. We have become, especially on McCarthy’s side of the aisle, sure that compromise equates to succumbing to the devil.

That is patently absurd. The Founders, the ones conservatives claim to support by clinging to some of the Constitution’s specific words (where they agree) as sacrosanct, wrote a complex system into place to assure we had compromises result. We never wanted a system on absolute minority rule as Republicans are advocating. We would not benefit from a similarly restrictive position by the left, either. Some individual policies may be distasteful but the system protects majority rights against the narrow views of a heated minority. It is a balancing act as is governing and maintaining this nation.

Pretty basic stuff here which lack of compromise tries to erase. Again, either party can try but Republicans are particularly prone to it right now.

I hold no brief for McCarthy’s methods. I hope his district realizes when they elect a successor that they will be left without much representation between now and the 2024 election as they get someone seated for the remainder of the full term. I do respect those who decided to finish what they signed up for through the end of 2024 as their constituents deserve that respect. If people leave to accept a different position, that is at least understandable but McCarthy seems just mad about how he was treated.

This is yet further evidence we need engage more fully with our system. Each of us needs know something about those we elect to bring serious people interested in policy and governing rather than folks running on a vendetta or on a whim from the gym or a mission to rewrite the Founders’s intent because they heard it on some pseudo news network.

Equating power with personalization of roles is not healthy for a democracy. What are we doing here, folks?

Thank you for reading today. I appreciate each and every day you read actions Create Consequences. Please feel free to circulate and comment. Thanks especially to the generous supporters who mean so much to this effort.

Be well and be safe. FIN