DIFFERENT SEASONS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF LEADERSHIP

I just finished the book "Presidential Courage" by Michael Beschloss. It was very interesting to look at how various presidents offered different kinds of leadership at just the right times. Some who might be opposed ideologically to those presidents might not view leadership the way Bschloss does. However, I think his book makes a real case for the fact that our nation needs different leaders of different political viewpoints at certain times and seasons of our nation's life.

For example, as much as my heart is more aligned with the Jeffersonians of the early Republic--Washington showed great courage and leadership in sticking with the authors of the Jay Treaty which helped us keep out of war with Britain--at a time when we really could not afford such a war so soon after achieving our Independence.

However, a few years later when Jefferson became president--it was time for new leadership and new thinking that moved away from too much focus on business interests and pro-Britain thinking--and a greater support for the common man--which would surface again when Andrew Jackson became president.

When Franklin Roosevelt became president in 1933--he did not really come in with policies that just remedied and fixed all our economic problems. NO PRESIDENT CAN REALLY DO THAT! What FDR offered was an invigorating and enthusiastic flavor of rallying the people--letting them know that we could indeed get through the difficult times. The people needed some more liberal monetary policies--even if those policies would be costly later--sometimes we do what needs to be done to survive the moment. My dad once taught me that politically in our nation--that anytime the pendulum swings too far one way--it has to swing back some the other day. Thats why I am so adamant that extremism be it either liberal or conservative--is very harmful for our nation. Thats why I get concerned when I see more and more moderate politicians being pushed out for either ultra liberal or ultra conservative.

And yet--when Ronald Reagan became president--after many years of the follow up of FDR's legacy with Truman, JFK, LBJ, and Jimmy Carter--it was time for new more conservative leadership. It was time for hard hitting foreign policy--against a most formidable Soviet Union. It was a time for more conservative economic policy to create some real activity in the markets. Whats interesting though--is that FDR and Reagan both had a leadership style in common--they both knew how to communicate with the people to reassure them that better times were ahead. If a leader can simply do that--that can often make the difference!

We need leaders who can look beyond what the polls say--who can really see what the nation needs long term. Be they Republican or Democrat--we need leaders who are willing to make tough decisions. Sometimes making a decision--even if it does not turn out to work that well--is better than doing nothing!

I am convinced that in every crises and situation our nation has faced--one style of leadership and political views and ideology--has never been a "one size fits all."

I hope that in our classrooms all over the nation today--we are building up future Republicans, Democrats and Independents who can one day lead this nation--or just plain good men and women who will be good citizens and make a difference for their communities and their nation.

What do you think? Lets have a conversation.