DANGER ZONE INTERVIEW EXCERPTS CONTINUED…

In your book you question the cast of characters on the impact religion has played in their life. What answer did you expect and what answer did you get by and large?

I expected they would say religion played a dominant role in the formation of their character. The general response from the remaining characters was to follow the Golden Rule.

More specific answers varied. Some of the Roman Catholic characters answered this question in greater detail; characters like Admiral Lynch spoke of the influence of the priests and nuns in Catholic grammar school; Tom Bliley’s aunt was a nun and his uncle was a priest in charge of Belmont Abbey; Bill Bulger quoted the Stoics and Samuel Johnson while Rick Santorum as an orthodox Catholic referred to the Credo and the Magisterium. Charlie Black spoke of our first duty as Christian to follow Christ. Ambassador Carlson’s wife, Patricia had a great influence on Dick strengthening his faith; Paul Eckstein and Ben Cardin, two of the character who practice their Jewish faith were strongly influenced by the tradition of reading the Torah and adhering to many of the rituals.

In the section of Politics with Principle titled Lessons Learned you say, “you owe not just to your industry, to your constituents, but to your judgment.” But isn’t that why people were so angry with politicians at midterm elections and wanted to throw everyone out—voters were sick and tired of elected officials coming to Washington and they failed to do the peoples business. Politicians who were booted out of office stopped paying attention to the folks who brought them to the dance. Would you say that is a fair summary of what happened?

I would say that is a very summary of what happened in the recent mid term elections. However, I disagree with your reading of Edmund Burke’s famous quote, which I wholly subscribe. The country would be far better off if our elected officials us their better judgment is what was best for the country. Too often what is best for your constituents and state amounts to bribing them for their votes on election day by delivering earmarks and pork for the district. We need officials that tell the voters not what the voters want to hear but what they need to hear. We could devote an entire program of the need for politicians whose duty is shaped by their conscience and not by vested interest.

Now that you’ve had the chance to meet and talk to a lot of people who have held public office—why do they do it? Why do they put themselves up for election by declaring—vote for me I will make a difference?

Many participate in politics for the ego gratification, high esteem and pure ambition. Those are the one’s who will, in the end, be disappointed and not serve the public well. The real politicians of character do it truly as public service. Many of our founding father’s thought only an elite class would be economically well off to do it for the right reasons of service

Are people who are elected to public office different than you or me?

I don’t think elected officials are much different than you or me. I believe we get the government we deserve which means that in the United States the Congress pretty much reflects the people who sent them. The current problem is the lack of character in all aspects of our society beyond politics from business to sports. Such is the state of human nature… we cannot change our nature but we can grow in virtue and build our character and therefore build a better society.

How can we have effective Congress if we have so many crooks among them?

A constant theme throughout Politics with Principle has been that character is a necessary prerequisite for public service. The current perception is a widespread cynical attitude that all politicos are crooks. You may ask how a lobbyist can claim the high moral ground for such matters as virtue and vice? A partial reply is, I for one, am trying to praise virtue, not claim it for myself. In so doing, I am trying to alter the destructive opinion that everyone in politics is corrupt. If citizens lose faith in their political system, they will tune out, and their indifference will foster the very corruption that must be avoided for our nation to thrive.