The fundamental basis of public service is an uncompromising commitment to the greater good. On one hand, we are governed by laws but, even more importantly, by values. And when people seek public office, they assume the acceptance of those values unless they candidly express disagreement.
The strength of values was brought home to me at the tail end of the Nixon – Watergate crisis. My father, a Swedish immigrant, was adamant in his support of Nixon. No matter how many criminal acts I advanced as proof of guilt, Papa stood by Nixon. What was particularly strange about his defense was that he was not a Republican nor had he ever expressed any particular admiration for the besieged President.
Finally, Papa said something I never forgot: “An American President would never do that.“
An academic might call this a “cultural norm.“ But to Papa, it was a simple expectation of doing what is right. In his eyes, an elected official, particularly a President, would never engage is such corrupt behavior.
Frankly, we are losing that same sense of virtue in Minnesota and every one of us should be alarmed. On the state level, over $1 billion has been stolen largely due to the neglect of the Governor and the Legislature. And not one elected official has taken responsibility. Somehow, fully protecting and caring about other people’s money is not all that important.
Now, Minneapolis is beset with a member of the City Council, Jeremiah Ellison, holding down two separate jobs in two different states and maintaining that it is not illegal and, therefore, he intends to keep both. So much for serving the greater good. No, a growing philosophy is that the greater good is splendid but only when it does not conflict with personal gain. Is this what we want from our elected officials?
Not only is Ellision morally and ethically wrong, but he is also demonstrating a surprising lack of understanding of his job as Council Member. That was the first elected position I held and probably the most unique due to the expectation of always having to be available to constituent needs. It is not all about meetings in City Hall. Rather, all basic services ranging from garbage collection to snowplowing are the problem of the Alderman and his service is expected to be immediate and personal. That is why it is considered a full-time job that pays close to $110,00 per year in addition to a splendid pension. Ellison’s other position in Massachusetts, an academic fellowship and pays $57,500 along with room, board, and travel.
This arrangement is certainly a bonanza for Jeremiah Ellison but it fails the “Papa“ test – and it is not even a close call. Further, how does the State Auditor who oversees local government finances explain his absence? And the silence of the Attorney General, the state’s protector and Jeremiah’s father, is wholly unacceptable. Who is serving the public?
Pew Research has reported that only 22% of Americans truly trust their government. Is this low number any surprise considering what is happening in Minnesota?
It is sad to see what has happened to the Minnesota that used to be, the one that was almost embarrassingly earnest and sincere. Those old-fashioned values–public service, integrity, etc–are seen as an inextricable part of the oppressive colonial system that some want to toss out as being too contaminated for keeping. Likewise with the police.
It’s our own fault. We have failed to educate our youth about their civic responsibilities over the last several decades. We’ve embraced vanity and greed as the defining values of our time, and even Minnesota can’t defend itself against the mob mentality that internet culture sustains.