The Conservative View: Role Models

This week's Conservative View, by Adair County Commissioner and conservative activist Russell Turner (R-Stilwell).

The Conservative View
by Russell Turner

Role Models

We Americans have become a nation of whiners and complainers. All anyone has to do is to visit the local coffee shop and set down and listen for a while, invariably someone will bring up the subject of politics and start to complain about the way our government is run. I have often thought that if our people were really serious about having good government, none of us would have to put up bad government for more than four years. Most of our elected officials are on a two or four year term of office. If an elected official mismanages funds or is corrupt, he or she can be voted out in the next election cycle. Sadly I have noticed that far too many of our citizens are more concerned about what is good for them and not what it good for our country.

For our government to be efficient and fair we citizens must also be fair and efficient. When our country was founded James Madison, the Father of the US Constitution and the 4th US President, made an observation that all of us need to reflect upon. He said, "But I go on this great republican principle, that the people will have virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom. Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks--no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea. If there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men. So that we do not depend on their virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them."

I know that it is human nature for all of us to take care of our needs first, but we also need to realize that our country was founded by men that believed all men are equal and deserve equal protection and representation. Anytime bad spending legislation is passed there is someone somewhere that will benefit from it. When any of us ask for special favors from government that are not available to everyone it is nothing short of corruption. It is easy for us to demand that our elected officials be role models to the citizens, but I believe that it is us, the average citizen, that should be the role model to the ones we elect.

If you wish to contact Russell Turner, or want to subscribe to his email loop, email him at rdrepublican@windstream.net.