A Message to Alabama Voters: Selecting Statesmen

Like many, I have been inundated with the ads for different political candidates in recent days. With all the mudslinging which occurs on both sides of the aisle, it is easy to lose focus on what is important. Although many Alabamians see only these ads, those who attend the local Republican meetings which candidates frequently attend and offer 2-3 minute speeches on their candidacy witness a different perspective on politics. Having attended a number of these meetings, I have been struck several times by candidates or representatives who use the word 'statesmen' to describe themselves or the candidates they represent. This lends itself to the question, what is a statesman, and how does such a person differ from a mere politician?

Recently, I came across a great definition of statesmanship in the works of Edmund Burke, one of the earliest conservative thinkers. Writing in England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Burke worried about liberal revolutions such as that in France which uprooted communities and destroyed traditional ways of doing things. It was in this vein that he said: "A disposition to preserve and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman." These words ought to have strong meaning for Alabama voters going to the polls in the July run-offs and the November general elections.

Richard Weaver, one of the great Southern historians and theorists of the 20th century noted that Southerners were the American Burkeans because they valued traditional ways of doing things. They valued small towns which provided help to individuals without the need of massive federal 'welfare' programs. They valued social relationships such as churches and the friendships they had made in their communities. Conservatives should also respect Burke as one of their earliest thinkers, a man who understood very early on the dangers of liberalism. Burke indicated like no others in his time the dangers of a government which continues to centralize and increase its power, growing bigger and bigger as it grows less responsive to the people.

His words would also have meaning, even if the source were unknown, because they reflect a basic principle of thoughtful good government, something the ancient Greeks called eunomia. Burke's definition defends conservatives against the charge from the Left that they are mere 'reactionaries.' Weaver himself in the mid-20th centuries attempted to develop a justification for Southern values which did not justify racism and discrimination. Burke's definition welcomes the need for change and reform while cautioning against throwing the baby out with the bath water, so to speak. Certain traditions are bad and must be rectified, but tradition itself can also be a good thing which benefits society. A tradition of reciprocity, for instance, or helping one's neighbor, is good and should be maintained for society to function without big government.

What does this mean for Alabamians? I recommend asking the following questions of candidates:

(1) Will you start with the bare minimum of what government must do, focusing on passing a budget instead of passing new spending?

(2) Will you always be attentive to small ways to change problems, particularly ways which rely on the people themselves, instead of the government?

(3) Will you acknowledge a distinction between party and principle, and choose your principles over your party?

(4) Will you be committed to having the government do only what it can do instead of supporting spending where the government may not be able to do what it sets out to do (like healthcare)?

(5) Will you be committed to looking toward long-term solutions to problems instead of merely focusing on your short-term interests for re-election?

These are good questions to ask of any question on a ballot. It's clear that in Alabama today, we need statesmen and politicians. Politicians always focus on polls and short-term fixes for their own aggrandizement. Statesmen are willing to solve problems for generations, possibly resolving them eternally. They may be considered slow to act, but they act appropriately and decisively to solve problems which they know they can solve. They realize that society is complex and cannot be changed easily, and if they act badly, they may make a problem worse.