OPINION: Our country needs effective leadership

I do not remember being as concerned about the quality of our political leadership and the direction our leaders want to take the country as I am today. If you look at the places where we expect strong leadership — the courts, the Congress and, especially, the president — it’s hard not to be disappointed, [in my opinion]. And our country needs effective leaders. We’ve come through a difficult time. The COVID-19 pandemic caused over 1 million deaths and strained our health-care system. Inflation and inequality have shaken our faith in the economy. We are deeply divided by partisan politics. Judging by public-opinion research, I’m not alone in my concerns about our leaders. When I was first elected to Congress, in 1964, something like 80 percent of Americans trusted government to do the right thing. Today the numbers have flipped: Only about 20 percent trust government. Trust in Congress is especially low and has been for decades. But even the Supreme Court, which has often been held in high regard, has seen its reputation slipping. A recent Pew Research Center survey found negative views of the court were higher than positive views for the first time in over 25 years of polling. As for the presidency, Democrats viewed it favorably and Republicans unfavorably when Joe Biden was in office. Now that Donald Trump is president, their views are reversed. Politics aside, there is plenty of evidence that our public officials aren’t providing the leadership we need. In the Congress, hyper-partisanship and infighting have been the order of the day. Compromise is rare, and fiscal deadlines are met with brinksmanship and threats of a government shutdown. In 1948, President Harry Truman, stymied at getting his programs adopted, railed against a “do-nothing Congress,” but that Congress passed more than 900 bills; the 118th Congress, serving in 2023-24, passed only 150. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, has reversed its own precedents on abortion, affirmative action, campaign finance, religious freedom, and presidential immunity. Critics see the justices as politicians in robes, not impartial arbiters of the law and the Constitution. I have concluded that leadership in dealing with our problems is not going to come from the courts or Congress. They simply aren’t structured to provide the scope and range of leadership that we need. That leaves the president; he’s the one who must respond to our expectations. Unfortunately, Donald Trump hasn’t shown that he is up to the task. We can’t say that Trump hasn’t taken decisive action, but he hasn’t offered the coherent approach that we need. In my view, one of the most important characteristics of a leader is the ability to unite people to attack a problem. Trump seems almost allergic to compromise. I hope he can attain a degree of success; but, so far, there is not much evidence that he will. I have written previously about the traits that make for effective leaders in government. First, leaders need to act with integrity; the public needs to know that they will do what they say. They need indefatigable energy and drive, but they also need patience and perseverance. They need to be able to put aside partisan differences. They need to be able to listen to contrary opinions and check their ego at the door. Unfortunately, these qualities are lacking. Ours is a big, complex nation, and it’s difficult to get people to agree about a problem and unite around a solution. But bringing people together is an essential quality of leadership. Our leaders need to consider diverse views, focus on solutions, and bring Americans together rather than dividing us. We need that kind of leadership now as much as ever.        

---

Lee Hamilton, 94, is a senior advisor for the Indiana University (IU) Center on Representative Government, distinguished scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, and professor of practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Hamilton, a Democrat, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years (1965-1999), representing a district in south-central Indiana.