Leadership/Communications

Our Founding Fathers knew – in John Adams’ words – that our U.S. Constitution was only going to work for a moral and religious people. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and James Madison all used similar words in discussing the necessity of virtue.

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” ~ John Adams

The question that’s begged is – how can a guy be so good at politics and so bad at policy or common sense?

As a veteran of the arena let me assure you, most people who are credited with being “good at politics” are similarly bad at policy and common sense. That goes for individuals on both sides of the ideological spectrum. For example, Karl Rove on the political right fits this bill. Type “Rove” in the search box above to learn more about why his name comes to mind.

Phil Kadner offered his Southtown Star column space to Mike Madigan – here’s how Kadner explained it: “On May 12, I offered to turn my column space over to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) to explain his views on this state’s budget crisis to the people of Illinois. Madigan, the most powerful political figure in Illinois, responded to that offer last week and here, unedited and (as promised) without comment from me, is his statement.”

To say the least, I was expecting more from Madigan, so I will comment.

Yesterday this column began looking at a 1990 speech given by the late Warren T. Brookes titled “Public Education and the Global Failure of Socialism.” For twenty years those on our side of the political aisle have known – or should have known – exactly what is wrong and how it needs to be righted. Instead, we have big government, big debt, big problems, a public education system that is failing, creeping socialism – and Obama.

Six years ago today I published an op ed about the need for Republicans to bring private sector/non-political talent into the political arena in order to help get “the message out on Republican alternatives to growing government and increasing regulations.” Back then, as you’ll recall, the GOP held the White House and power in Congress, and our state Republican leaders were in their second year of being out-of-power.