The Statesman

The Statesman and Discipline

2010-08-24T16:11:00.000-05:00

The Statesman knows that before he can be an effective leader, he must win the battle over himself, the ability to say "no" to his impulses. Former President Harry Truman once said, “In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves…Self-discipline with all of them came first.”

The Leader on the Inside*

2010-08-23T10:51:00.000-05:00

The Statesman is not just interested in appearing to be a leader; he desires to be a leader on the inside. The Statesman want to be a leader of character. Character is what you are on the inside and is usually revealed when you are under pressure. Character is to be compared with fashion which is the "science of appearances" according to Steven Covey. A person focused on fashion wants to appear to be something that he is not.

The foundation of all character is discipline which is "the ability to say 'no' to our impulses." We can think of the development of character this way:

Our beliefs inform our thoughts
Our thoughts inform our actions
Our actions inform our habits
Our habits comprise our character

We could say that character is the sum of our habits. We need leaders who will, not just make the right decisions, but will make the right decisions out of habit.

*Quotes from Steven Covey, Principle-Centered Leadership

Is America a Christian Nation?

2010-08-19T20:41:00.001-05:00

The Statesman does not forget the foundation of his nation. For America, that foundation was Christian, as Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) reminds the House of Representatives.

The Statesman on Immigration Policy

2010-08-19T19:30:00.002-05:00

The Statesman can learn from Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) who gave this short speech in response to the denouncement of American immigration policy by Mexican President Felipe Calderon. McClintock stressed that American immigration policy is not exclusionary and it has the purpose of ensuring that those that immigrate to America, do so with the intent of becoming Americans.

The Statesman is....a Woman

2010-08-19T02:39:00.001-05:00

Our federal government has reached new levels of arrogance, foolishness and disregard for the Constitution. The biggest external threat to our budget comes from the federal government--oppressive health care mandates, job-killing environmental restrictions, and continual refusal to pay for costs associated with illegal immigration.~ Jan Brewer

The Right of Religion, Speech, Press, and Lying

2010-08-18T09:02:00.000-05:00

The Statesman knows there's never a positive right to do the wrong thing. Recently the Ninth Circuit said that laws forbidding lying about one's Medal of Honor status are unconstitutional, inferring that there is a "right to lie" in the Constitution.

Court Says Lying About Medal of Honor No Crime

He Being Dead, Yet Speaketh

2010-08-17T10:15:00.002-05:00

Sometimes the words of the dead are more powerful than the clamour around us. Listen to a dead man giving us guidance from the grave.

Daniel Webster--Florida's Statesman

2010-08-17T09:52:00.004-05:00

Perhaps you heard about the great statesman, Daniel Webster, of the nineteenth century. But wait, there's another one. We have our own Daniel Webster from the great state of Florida who is running for a U.S. House seat this November. A true statesman who is desperately needed today...

The Education of a Statesman

2010-08-17T09:02:00.004-05:00

How important is education in the life of a leader? In his book Greatness, historian Steven Hayward compares the educations of President Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill. Hayward's conclusion is that we should focus on their education outside the classroom, their "informal education" as opposed to their formal training if we want to better grasp what made these leaders special. I have written an Hubpages article, The Education of a Statesman, that gives an overview of the topic.

The Retreat on the Southern Border

2010-08-17T00:02:00.001-05:00

In a free society, the first duty of a statesman is to uphold his oath and protect the people of his land. The Obama Administration has abdicated that role. They not only refuse to protect our nation's borders, they threaten to punish those that would defend them.

And now, it's been awhile since I've heard of a greater national disgrace than I heard this morning. Apparently, our Border Patrol is fleeing certain areas of the southern border because it's too dangerous.
"Border Patrol Has Retreated from Parts of the Border Because It's 'Too Dangerous'"

The Easy Answer v. the Simple Answer

2010-08-16T16:32:00.004-05:00

They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right. ~ Ronald Reagan

What Makes a Great Leader "Great"?

2010-08-16T10:58:00.004-05:00

What makes a great leader, great? Steven Hayward addresses this issue in his book Greatness. I have summarized some of his ideas in this essay.

Hawks and Doves

2009-08-10T11:31:00.005-05:00

I'm not a hawk. I'm a dove--a heavily-armed dove.--Jack Kemp

The Hollow Leader

2009-08-02T22:32:00.007-05:00

Too many politicians think that the road to success lies in being "open." Too often that is simply another word for "hollow." I believe leaders must have principles, and must stand up for them. Jesse Helms

The Socialization of America

2009-08-01T12:24:00.002-05:00

"1. Karl Marx died on March 14, 1883, and was buried in the Highgate Cemetery in London, England. The assumption that Communism died with him was logical since only six people attended his funeral. But the truth is that it had not yet begun its murderous journey through the 20th century.
2. John Maynard Keynes was born on June 5, 1883, in Cambridge, England. His political, economic, and moral influence continues to affect every American.
3. The Fabian Socialist Society was an offshoot of The Fellowship of the New Life, which was born in October 1883 in London, England.
Socialist George Bernard Shaw added: 'You would be forcibly fed, clothed, lodged, taught, and employed whether you like it or not. If it were discovered that you had not character and industry enough to be worth all this trouble, you might possible be executed in a kindly manner.'
That's probably why Margaret Thatcher added that the 'problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.' "(emphasis mine)

Noebel, David A. The Socialization of America May 2009 (The Schwarz Report).

Human Nature

2009-07-13T05:42:00.007-05:00

At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, someone had proposed that the government limit the army to 5,000 men. George Washington, the President of the Convention, is said to have remarked that he was OK with this enactment so long as we also stipulate to the enemy invaders that they can't send in any more than 3,000 troops.

The Siren Song of Socialism

2009-06-20T17:40:00.009-05:00

The appeal of socialism is to human weakness--the desire to avoid responsibility and the craving for material gain. It offers security as a substitute for opportunity, and the price is freedom.--Anonymous (possibly Charles B. Shuman)

Honesty

2009-06-20T17:09:00.005-05:00

He's honest, but you have to watch him... -- Chico Marx

Priority

2009-06-11T17:45:00.003-05:00

I answer first to my Creator, then to my conscience. If that brought conflict or created some pressure, that was the price of doing business the way I thought was right. -- Jesse Helms, Here's Where I Stand

The Politician v. The Statesman

2009-06-06T09:06:00.003-05:00

"We need to revive, if only for the purposes of evaluation, the traditional distinction between the politician and the statesman. The statesman differs from the ordinary politician, in that he is able to envisage and inspire support for policies that are in the ultimate, best interest of the most people, and, however rare he may be, we think of him rightly as the politician par excellence. To the extent that the ordinary politician's vision is limited to that which is immediately expedient, to the extent that he is motivated by narrow, sectional, group, or personal interests, we think of him as a failure; and the more narrow his vision and selfish his aim, the greater the failure. The statesman is concerned with inspiring right action, and the test of his statesmanship is his ability to lead public opinion rather than slavishly to follow it. To lead public opinion does not mean to coerce or to beguile the individuals who make up the public but to persuade them by means of argument." John Hallowell, The Moral Foundations of Democracy

A Military Statesman

2007-02-04T15:55:00.000-06:00

This fight cost me everything. My career is over, my family is now homeless, we’ve lost a million dollar pension, but Congress agreed with me and rescinded the Navy policy, so chaplains are free again to pray in Jesus’ name. My sacrifice purchased their freedom. My conscience is clear, the fight was worth it, and I’d do it all again.--Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, remarking on his being drummed out of the Navy for insisting that Navy chaplains not be censored for praying in Jesus' name.

Are Statesmen Just Dead Politicians?

2007-01-20T10:55:00.000-06:00

Is it true that a statesman is only a dead politician? It’s kind of like getting your picture on U.S. currency: the honor is reserved for the dead. Well, let’s consider that LBJ is a dead politician and was no statesman, and many believe that living politicians such as Roy Moore, Rick Santorum, and Henry Hyde are statesmen. Moore had much to lose, and yet he was willing to risk both reputation and career to hold high the principle that God is the source of law. In taking that risk he lost both career and reputation. Moore (and others like him) outshines his peers and deserves the accolade of “statesman” in the land of the living.

The Contrast

2005-11-19T11:30:00.000-06:00

Politicians do not mind campaigning as Sunday school teachers, deacons, and choir directors. But once elected, they often deny the sovereignty of God and feel embarrassed by anyone who acknowledges God. I openly acknowledged God and suffered the consequences: false accusations, charges, public embarrassment, and financial loss.--Roy Moore, So Help Me God

Rulers of the Superstate

2005-11-09T05:55:00.000-06:00

Atheism and socialism – or liberalism, which tends in the same direction – are inseparable entities. When you have men who no longer believe that God is in charge of human affairs, you have men attempting to take the place of God by means of the superstate.–Jesse Helms, Former U.S. Senator

A Special Nation

2005-11-08T23:30:00.000-06:00

The United States was a special nation founded on the laws of God, and not just any God. We were not founded on the faith of Buddha, or the Hindu faith or the faith of Islam, but on the faith of Jesus Christ.--Roy Moore, So Help Me God

Characters

2005-08-24T01:45:00.000-05:00

If an actor can become a president, a president can be an actor. Bill Clinton

Character and Democracy

2005-08-21T04:00:00.000-05:00

If to please the people, we offer what we ourselves disapprove, how can we afterward defend our work? Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the event is in the Hand of God. George Washington, Comment at the Philadelphia Convention, May 14, 1787.

Tyranny of Good Intentions

2005-08-21T01:50:00.000-05:00

Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. — Daniel Webster

Character and the Next Generation

2005-08-18T22:44:00.000-05:00

It should be the highest ambition of every American to extend his views beyond himself, and to bear in mind that his conduct will not only affect himself, his country, and his immediate posterity; but that its influence may be co-extensive with the world, and stamp political happiness or misery on ages yet unborn. –George Washington

Charisma v. Character in Leadership

2005-08-18T20:23:00.000-05:00

According to John Maxwell in Leadership Wired (vol. 5, no. 19) character is more important than charisma in leadership for the following reasons:

1. Character sets you apart—There was a time when people who lacked integrity stood out from the crowd. Now the opposite is true--charisma can make people stand out for a moment, but character can set them apart for a lifetime.

2. Character creates trust—Leadership functions only on the basis of trust. If you pull out trust, then you will lose your leadership foundation.

3. Character promotes excellence—If you lead people, good character sets a standard for everyone who is following you. People will eventually become like their leader. If leaders compromise on their standards, cheat the company, or take shortcuts, so will their followers.

4. Character gives staying power—During the tough times that all leaders face, character has the ability to carry you through, which is something that charisma can never do. When you are weary and inclined to quit, the self-discipline of character keeps you going.

5. Character extends influence—Charisma, by its nature, doesn't last long or extend very far. It's like a flash of gunpowder. It produces a quick, blinding light, but then it's gone. The only thing left is smoke. Character, on the other hand, is more like a bonfire. Its effects are long-lasting. It produces warmth and light, and as it continues to burn it gets hotter, giving fuel that burns brighter.

Clarity

2005-08-17T02:25:00.000-05:00

God is sovereign and shall remain so despite what the Supreme Court and federal district courts of this land say. – Roy Moore, former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, following his removal from office

In the Beginning...

2005-08-16T23:59:00.000-05:00

BOWENBLOG will hit several topics, but you can count on most of it to be about politics from a Christian perspective. I’m sure there will also be some Christian apologetics thrown in for good measure.