Atlantic Magazine published a special issue recently on the future prospects of the US. The conclusion of James Fallows, a regular contributor who has spent years in China and other countries, is that our prospects are better than any other country on earth if we can solve one problem, the way our government is working. Most letter writers who have been printed in these pages would agree, I believe, with that assessment.

When I was walking the streets campaigning for election candidates in the past couple of years, the people I spoke with agreed that the lack of honesty and integrity in governing officials is what upsets them most. I think the two perceptions are connected.

Democratic governing can only happen through good faith bargaining and if duplicity and selfish maneuvering takes priority over commitment to the common good, governing itself grinds down to short-sighted positioning based on the latest polls and powerful influences. The far-sighted and often hard choices that constitute good governing just doesn’t happen. I think many would agree that is our current situation.

I am sending to both political parties in the county a modest document to address that situation. It is a Pledge to Voters for candidates to ascribe to. It promises truth-telling and giving priority to the common good, both current and future.

The pledge is general and abstract. It’s hard to imagine anyone who could disagree with it. That is the starting point, where we all agree. But by putting this point of agreement into words and repeating those words over and over, slipping into evasive and self-serving patterns of behavior becomes a little less common. And little by little our level of political discourse should rise to a more cooperative confrontation of the serious dangers to our common welfare.

I ask the readers to urge your party and the candidates to speak the pledge at the beginning of every public presentation. Don’t accept the protest “I already do that all the time.” Insist on the pledge being spoken because unspoken assumptions are more easily ignored. Here is the pledge.

My Pledge to Voters

By electing me to office you the people bestow on me your trust in my integrity and dedication, Therefore I hereby commit myself:

1. to support and advance democracy and the Constitution;
2. to speak and promote truth even while leading citizens to support the common welfare;
3. to put the common welfare, both current and future, ahead of the welfare of any individual or group;
4. to conscientiously discharge the duties of my office;
5. to model good citizenship;
6. to acknowledge when I fall short of these commitments;
7. to practice these principles both during campaigning for election and during my term of service if I am elected.

John Rose

What does this have to do with being a Democrat in Lebanon County? The connection, for me, relates back to a conversation with another friend about the differences between Democrats and Republicans. His opinion was that a Democrat’s motto should be “what can I do for my community?” and I feel fortunate to live in a place where the spirit of community caring and giving is high, regardless of one’s affiliation (or non-affiliation).

We’re living in some hard times, to be sure. One solution (I think) to hard times is self reliance and a helping hand, which is something Lebanon Countians are already pretty good at and it brings me to the fond memories of my childhood when all of old folks had their gardens “out back”. This was probably just a holdover from there upbringing, but they too lived through some hard times.

Not wanting to complain or commiserate without offering solutions, I propose we think about community gardening.

It helps cut down on grocery costs, fosters neighborhood connections, and provides healthy and environmentally safe food (assuming you don’t use too many pesticides). To me, it sounds like a win/win/win situation.

LEAD (Lebanon Exchange for Accountability in Democracy) “… is committed to promoting a progressive political agenda to improve the lives of the people of Lebanon County, PA, and to fight selfishness, greed, lies, incompetence, arrogance, corruption, and lack of respect for our individual rights from our elected officials.”

LEAD grew out of the Kerry campaign following the 2004 election. It is convened by Steve and Jackie Grumbacher who headed the Kerry campaign in Lebanon County.

The agenda for the December meeting is a holiday party. We will also discuss:

1. Planning a meeting with our local state representatives. At the last meeting, the group decided that it was time to begin dialogue with our State Senator and our two State representatives about our progressive issues. We need to plan how to contact them, whether we meet with them together, what issues to bring up, venue, and whether to open the meeting up to the public. Please join us to help in the planning.
2. Health Care. The Obama administration has made promises to try to fix our broken health care system and prospective incoming Secretary of HEW, Tom Daschle, has asked groups to get together locally to discuss what is needed to reform our health care. Our own John Rose will be leading the discussion on this subject. I know a lot of us have our own opinions on this, so come prepared. I’ve attached the Obama organization’s health care proposal initial thoughts for background. If you can’t make it, please send me your thoughts and I’ll forward them to John.

If you wish to be placed on the mailing list for LEAD contact Steve Grumbacher (717) 838-8485.