MISSOURI WATCH: THE SEARCH FOR EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNANCE

Survey after survey reveals most of us suffer from a depressingly consistent erosion of confidence in our governments, whether located in Washington, Jefferson City or the local city hall. Considering the large number of confidence-shattering events in the last decade, coupled with an environment polluted by diversely motivated critics, this typical-citizen view is not surprising. Perhaps an even bigger surprise is that John Q. Public has not entirely abdicated his commendable hope for responsible governance in a rapidly changing and highly complex society.

Every time one of these public-loss-of-confidence surveys is published it would seem proper to recall the wisdom of the late Adlai Stevenson who observed while running for the presidency in 1952: "Government in a democracy cannot be stronger or more tough-minded than its people. It cannot be more inflexibly committed to the task than they. It cannot be wiser than the people."

Despite his two-in-a-row losses to Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s, Stevenson had an insight of American society that was frequently lost in the translation, since most citizens acknowledged his brilliance while adding the caveat that he spoke above the comprehension of the rest of the public. There is no mistaking Stevenson's words above, however: government reflects its people, whether it be moral courage and strength, perseverance or wisdom.

If, indeed, we citizens have lost confidence in our governments, then we shall certainly witness our governments' loss of confidence in the people.

How, for example, can our elected leaders expect public support of programs designed to improve society as a whole if less than half the registered voters went to the polls in the last presidential election? There is considerable evidence to make the point that citizens have so tuned out what political candidates declare with great vigor and conviction during a campaign that substance is no longer a part of the electoral process in 1997.

Instead, what we are witnessing today is a dumbing down of political debate and discussion and the ascendancy of broad, generalized themes that have little or no meaning to citizens. The two candidates for president last year provide a case in point.

Clinton, abandoning the themes that helped him defeat George Bush in 1992, talked ad nauseam about crossing a bridge to the next millennium. The phrase meant whatever the listener believed it meant, but in reality, it was meaningless, except in its implication that the Democratic candidate had more energy and desire to lead than his older Republican opponent.

Bob Dole, on the other hand, chose a theme that was older than he: states' rights. Carrying around a copy of the 10th amendment to the Constitution, which he surely could have memorized by the time he got to Terre Haute, the man whose knowledge of how government can work far exceeded that of his opponent talked in simplistic terms about whether state or federal capitals should govern.

When campaigns such as the one last year are all owed to be devoid of substance, ideas, programs, vision, the public responds to the candidates by not showing up at the polls. Worse, they abandon any confidence, even hope, in the ability of democratic governments to govern wisely or with even a modicum of vision.

Make no mistake, we have no lack of politicians, commentators, columnists, talk-show hosts and professional rabble rousers telling us which way we should travel and which fork in the road will lead to doom and despair. The only problem with this abundance of advice and counsel is that it all lacks the one essential only those duly elected can provide: validity.

The opinions expressed in this piece lack the same validation missing in anonymous e-mail diatribes or modern campaign rally speeches. And none gains in standing until the public responds or at least adopts the basic tenets at hand and then validates them at the polls.

Stevenson was right, of course, in arguing that the public determines the course, mood and vision of governments, and not the other way around as so many critics have been charging far too long. Our governments will grow wiser when we the people are wiser and more responsive when we the people respond.

Jack Stapleton of Kennett is editor of Missouri News and Editorial Service.