We’re reading, studying, internalizing all this material – the brilliance of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; the vitality of the Federalist Papers; the antagonism of Alexander Stephens; the wisdom of Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln – we are, or at least are well on the way toward becoming, true students of our country, our government, our politics. I find myself reflecting on the importance of these works and on the importance of understanding them and wondering about some of today’s political figures.
We know Barack Obama has a faculty for this history and these concepts and their current ramifications – he was a constitutional law professor, after all. And John McCain has demonstrated a thorough understanding of these as well. The same can easily be said of Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, Mitt Romney, or Bob Barr, among many others.
But as I was reading, I asked: Can it be said of our current president? Or of Sarah Palin, for that matter? I would imagine the answer is “no” (or at least “not really”).
This isn’t an arbitrary or perfunctory attack on these leaders or on any others; it is not a typical “Bush is an idiot” rant and not even a matter of intelligence. It is a question of their familiarity with and understanding of the documents, ideals, and convictions central to the establishment and development of American independence, government, and conventions.
(This is also, it should be noted, not a question rooted in partisan discontent. I feel similarly about a number of political figures, including Democrats like Representatives Maxine Waters and Sheila Jackson Lee and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.)
Rather, it is a question – or two, really:
1) Do our political leaders have a facility with the important conflicts and questions of American history that produced those institutions, practices, and principles we still rely on in our politics today?
and
2) Does it matter?/Is it necessary or even important to their abilities as leaders in American government?
2 comments:
I reserve similar doubts and wonder if every political move the President makes is upholding and defending the Constitution, as he swears on entering office
I think it definitely matters whether or not the actions of the President are consistent with the ideals of the framers. That being said, I disagree with the notion that a lack of personal understanding of these documents would necessarily preclude the ability to lead. I believe that should the President possess other qualities which indicate an ability to both command our country and cohesively process information, having constitutional advisers who are well versed in the implications of his actions would be sufficient.
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