This commentary was published in the Delaware Coast PressWhat has happened to 'leadership?' Many of our local legislators have abandoned their mission, favoring reaction to real action.
Commentary by Terry Plowman
A national news report a couple weeks ago said Americans are losing interest in Washington, D.C.'s "business as usual," which is really no business at all. The current and last Congresses have passed so little meaningful legislation that Americans are wondering what all the commotion is about.
Those who remember their civics lessons will recall that the mission of the legislative branch of government is to propose, discuss and approve laws that, in the best scenario, will improve our social structure.
Our leaders on the national scene seem to have abandoned this mission.For the most part, they seem to prefer reaction to real action, and voters are getting tired of it.
But why do we not expect the same initiative from our local legislators -- Why do we elect and re-elect representatives who do little more than put out fires -- Where are the true leaders who have vision, who would propose dramatic action that could improve our local towns?
Citizens should ask this question: How many proposals have my local representatives brought forth that were unrelated to a problem that needed immediate attention?
One example of true legislative initiative was Rehoboth Beach's parking permit plan -- but this proposal came almost fully developed from citizens Jay Smith and Sheridan Besosa, not from the cityís elected representatives.
Of all the towns in our coverage area, we would credit Dewey Beach with having the most aggressive legislative agenda. The citizens' representatives there have consistently put forth new ideas, which -- to the chagrin of some -- have been successful in dramatically steering the social structure in the town toward more of a "family image."
Not since Norm Sugrueís 1986-89 tenure on the Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners has that city seen as aggressive a legislator.
For the most part, our local "leaders" do little leading. They dutifully attend lengthy committee meetings, workshop meetings and regular meetings, a chore that we acknowledge is thankless. They react to problems that come before them with good intentions, as if that is their primary purpose.
But they have forgotten that their primary mission is not to serve like a judicial branch, hearing out controversies and issuing judgements on them. It is to legislate, to bring forth new ideas forged in a vision of a better future.
This criticism does not apply to all of our local officials -- those who have a solid history of bringing new ideas to the table have no reason to be defensive. We suggest that before local officials rush to complain about this indictment, they check their legislative records -- if their records show few innovative ideas, maybe those who have the right to complain are the citizens they represent.