Are we expected to trust our politicians?  As Ronald Reagan was fond of saying, “Trust, but verify.”  While he may have been speaking of missile treaties with the former Soviet Union, we should keep this healthy skepticism of our government officials.  In a republic such as the United States was originally established to be in 1789, we should choose the wisest among us to make the most difficult decisions.

Perhaps the fictional Josiah Bartlet from the West Wing TV show reminded us best, “You know we forget sometimes, in all the talk about democracy, it’s a Republic. People don’t make the decisions, they choose the people who make the decisions. Could they do a better job choosing? Yeah. But when you consider the alternatives. . . .”

How should we choose the people we should trust?  I would suggest we look for people who are wise over those we agree with in every detail.  I would suggest we look for people who choose to honor the Constitution over their constituents because the best way to help their constituents is to honor the Constitution.  I would also suggest that we look for people who have good character, especially those who keep their word.

A couple of notes on this too-brief list of qualifications to serve in elective office.  First, I would recommend that all office holders from a city councilman up to the President read this article about Congressman Davy Crockett written in 1884.  We believe the source, even though from long ago, is accurate, and reminds us, “Money with [politicians] is nothing but trash when it is to come out of the people. But it is the one great thing for which most of them are striving, and many of them sacrifice honor, integrity, and justice to obtain it.”

Second, in an era when marriage is treated so lightly as something to be taken when needed and discarded when no longer desired, we must heed the words Harry S Truman is reported to have said, “You know, if a man will lie to his wife, he’ll lie to me. And if he’ll break his oath of marriage, he’ll break his oath of office.”  Whether or not President Truman actually said those exact words, the sentiment is a powerful one and should certainly be a part of our decision about who should represent us at all levels of government.