The Statesman and the Pretenders

“The great difference between the real statesman and the pretender is, that the one sees into the future, while the other regards only the present; the one lives by the day, and acts on expedience; the other acts on enduring principles.” – Burke

It strikes me that Barack Obama has been president for only two months and already I believe he will prove himself a statesman.

In that same two months, the House and Senate of the United States of America have continued to prove that they’re pretenders. Blundering buffoons baying at their altar: expedience.

Yesterday I saw Barack Obama reach out to Iran and offer to start a dialogue about the future of the world. He didn’t surrender. He didn’t say that nuclear proliferation was acceptable. He said, “Guys, let’s talk about this.” And he said it at an auspicious time—their New Year.

Yesterday I saw the House and Senate go after bonuses at AIG as if they were pilgrims at a Sunday prime-time witch burning. When will they stop before they act and recognize what’s happening at this moment is today’s crisis?

If every politician were to read and understand a little history and a little of the Constitution they would realize their first job is not to pander to their constituents but to recognize that the future of these United States are in their hands.

Don’t make decisions based on this moment in the light of anger, fear and confusion. That’s a fool’s errand. Stop. Look into the future of the United States. The future we would like to produce. Look at the potential future of the world.

See a positive future for the United States and the world. Make decisions that move the United States in the direction of that positive future.

Don’t panic. Don’t rush one way today and reverse course tomorrow. They remind me of a flock of wild turkeys in a barn during a thunderstorm.

If you are going to run our country by popularity polls what does that bode for the sake of our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren?