Politics: Blood sport must give way to public good

Ain’t politics fun? It’s like a national past-time (even better than baseball). Recently, the home team has been landing some body blows, to the cheers of adoring fans. It really is an entertainment.

This month I have been preparing for public service. In the process, I re-read the U.S. Constitution, a remarkably short and nonpartisan document. The framers were particularly concerned with the rights of the people and ensuring the public good.

In my studies I came upon these words of Thomas Paine: “The word republic means the public good, in contradistinction to the despotic form, which makes the good of the sovereign, or of one man, the only object of the government.”

Remember these words in the months ahead. Our elected leaders work for all of us. That is especially true of the president.

Politics may be a blood sport, but governing should be for the common good.

This story was originally published July 24, 2019 at 4:59 PM.