Former U.S. Senator and Al Gore’s 2000 vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) passed away last week from complications due to a recent fall at age 82.
He has been universally praised as a decent man of honor and integrity ― and deservedly so. He was considered a strong Democrat supporter of our national defense and a fervent supporter of Israel. He was willing to consider spending cuts as part of an overall package to balance budgets. He frequently would work with Republicans to get important legislation passed.
He could never get nominated or elected as a Democrat today.
Questions: Where have all these guys gone? And what made him so effective in the first place?
Two books can help answer those questions: “The Coddling of the American Mind” by Jonathan Haidt and “The City of Man” by Michael Gerson. The return to respectable leadership from our elected leaders in both major parties will require men and women of high character; personal achievement, confidence and a public spiritedness ― and as Joe Lieberman proved, it can be done.
It might have to be in a new party or as an independent ― but American politics has always been a fluid meandering stream, so maybe we are due for another political avulsion such as when the Whig Party took over American politics in the mid-19th century.
Haidt lays out the psychological and emotional tools the American populace is going to need to get American governance back on track. He is a huge proponent of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which not only would leaven our public civil discourse but could lead to less acrimony on Capitol Hill and in state capitals where political division has taken productive politics off the rails and into the brambles in the ditch below.
In his book, he focuses on nine cognitive distortions people need to recognize first before they can correct their thinking. By correcting their thinking to a more mature, reasoned approach, our politics can be restored to the important echelon it should occupy in our national life together.
Three are important to this consideration. Our new leaders will have to abandon heavy reliance on emotional reasoning, which is where an individual lets their feelings determine their outlook on life, not reality. New leaders will have to stop blaming other people for all the problems and take responsibility for any negative feelings they may have. Our new leaders will have to stop overgeneralizing everything based on single instances, such as when liberals say everyone who supports Donald Trump after a particularly incendiary comment “can’t be a Christian.”
If you don’t have time to read Haidt’s book, it can all be boiled down to being a grown-up, mature person. When I worked on Capitol Hill from 1985-95, the halls of Congress were filled with men and women of integrity and grace who, while they could disagree on public policy matters, could at least maintain a spirit of comity and charity toward one another.
Lieberman was a devout Jew who never campaigned on the Jewish Sabbath. He led an interfaith, multidenominational weekly Bible study with other senators on Capitol Hill. He shared a set of generally accepted common American beliefs about the importance of faith, a strong family unit and responsible governance which made it easier to work together with Republicans, compromise and strike acceptable legislative deals.
After all, it is really difficult to demonize someone from the other side if you are praying with them every week and reading the Old Testament together.
Gerson used five points to close his book subtitled “Religion and Politics in a New Era” for Christian persuaders when engaged in the public square which are also helpful to remember. Each Christian politician and activist should maintain self-awareness, spiritual grounding, perspective, involvement with an active church community and a spirit of grace and reconciliation. It is hard to persuade others as to the righteousness of your argument when they feel demeaned, insulted and offended by not only what you say but how you say it.
Jesus didn’t “insult” His way into people’s hearts and souls. He spoke plainly but always in a spirit of love.
Sen. Joe Lieberman fit that mold. So did my former bosses, Congressman Alex McMillan of Charlotte and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.
Where are all the Joe Liebermans, you ask? They are right here reading this short epistle.
Your country is just begging you to put your amazing talents to work this critical election year. Work as a poll observer during early voting and on Election Day. Speak out as often as possible with friends, colleagues and, yes, people you don’t agree with all the time on the critical issues of the day. Contribute money to the best candidates.
Consider replacing people in office who don’t rise to the high standards we all say we want in public office ― perhaps even with yourself.
Just don’t do nothing ― to turn the Nike slogan on its head.
