Rowitz On Leadership

I think it is interesting to look back and to study the history of the United States.  Although not everyone agreed that the colonies should separate from England.  Yet, there came a time when men of the colonies fought a war for independence.  Although we fought this war even though there were many who could agree on what this newly independent country would look like.  Our political leaders did agree on creating a democracy.   They did not all agree on whether the country would have a strong central government or a government in which states rights would predominate.   Our leaders were strong and remained gentleman even when we did not agree on all the particulars.  We still talk about our founding fathers as leaders—George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and so many others.  We still study these leaders’ lives today.  The 19th century brought interesting changes although we still study Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and others as both heroes and great leaders.    Congress even then did not always agree with the President although there were clearly leaders among our Congress including Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and others.   With the Industrial Revolution, new leaders arose from the developing railroads, oil , and other industries.

During the 20th century, our concept of leadership seemed to shift from the governmental sector to the business sector.  Organizations seemed to influence public policy more and more.  Lobbying became more prevalent in the second half of the last century to a point where we lost faith in our governmental leaders who only seemed to support the lobbyists and their companies the lobbyists represented. That is not to imply that some individuals were able to rise above the new political influencers.  Theodore Roosevelt, Woodfrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson Tip O’Neill, and Martin Luther King come to mind. It seems today that respect for our presidents has declined.  It seems that lobbyist speak for our industries, Congress follows because of substantial financial  contributions, and the public loses.  Speaking of being caught between a rock and two hard places, an elected official is caught between the people who voted, lobbyists, and the agenda of his or her party.  Change is necessary.   Congressional gridlock must end.  I often wonder where have all the governmental leaders gone.