I don’t refer only to the destruction of war. My fellow veterans across our nation understand the toll that war takes on personal lives. They know what it is like to return home and struggle to resume a routine, to redefine “normal.” I live with the burden of having served with men and women who never made it home. I also know that however cruel war is, it is sometimes necessary.
There was a time when the characteristics most Americans hoped for, or expected, from their elected representatives were clear: integrity, honor, courage, selflessness and an ability to put the country’s interests above their own. But the approval rating of today’s Congress is below 20 percent, according to a Real Clear Politics average of national polls. Ethics scandals and an overall inability to get done anything of substance erode the foundation of the institution. Meanwhile, the U.S. military’s approval rating is near 80 percent, according to a Gallup report last month.
Our men and women in uniform seek to prioritize service over self. So why aren’t there more veterans in politics?
In recent decades the share of our population serving in the military has declined, and with it the percentage of Americans with such experience who go into political life. Not every veteran is inclined to enter politics, and not every soldier, Marine, sailor or airman, despite having demonstrated dedication to our nation and a desire to serve, is suited to the varied issues that Congress must undertake. But as I watched the 2004 congressional elections from Afghanistan, and the 2008 elections from Iraq, I was saddened by the lack of experienced veterans in the campaigns. Our nation would benefit from greater diversity among our elected representatives.
The cost of running for office may be one barrier. In my home district in Tennessee, Rep. Stephen Fincher spent more than $3 million in his most recent race, in 2010, and this is a bargain in some congressional districts. When soldiers are trying to stabilize nations abroad, they aren’t spending time gaining the experience or contacts necessary to raise massive amounts for campaigns. A public financing system that truly allowed wider access to our elected politics could help level the playing field.
Another benefit to having more veterans in Congress is that they are used to working as a team. We may not always agree with each other, but we find ways to work together. Meanwhile, ideology and partisanship have become so entrenched in Congress that our legislative branch is often incapable of moving forward — whether the issue is the nation’s debt, nominations or other serious business.
I have no doubt that elected officials go to Washington with great intentions. Yet the effects of fundraising and partisanship have long been clear in our nation’s headlines. Rather than politicians who promise support to political parties or to the special interests that help raise campaign cash, we need politicians who focus, as members of the military do, on their allegiance to the U.S. Constitution and the people of this nation.
I hope that voters and our elected officials can find a way to return to the traits they used to value in our leaders, and seek out representatives who have demonstrated their commitment to serve. Perhaps more veterans will step up at this critical juncture and offer society a new type of leadership: by trying to change our political system from within.
Rick Siders works in law enforcement in Washington. His e-mail address is sidersrd@gmail.com.
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