There’s an even-handed story at the Janesville Gazette about Wisconsin’s non-partisan local elections. Some of those interviewed are sure that partisanship is a bad thing, and that it gets in the way of serving citizens, etc. I understand this view, and however well-intentioned, it’s one with which I strongly disagree. (The story presents diverse points of view, and something of our history.)
There’s a distinction, of course, between political partisanship and ideological commitment. One may not be a partisan of the Republican or Democratic parities and yet be ideologically-oriented (right, center, left, libertarian).
Unfortunately, non-partisan elections have the consequence of discouraging ideological and philosophical professions in favor of empty, platitudinous declarations about doing the right thing, etc. It’s false, though, to say that the zealously non-partisan or non-ideological have no commitments — in all too many cases they replace ideology and principle with the self-interest of being re-elected again and again.
They have a party, a philosophy, and a faith in their own incumbency.
This is far worse than being a political partisan. We have seemingly cast out ideology, but we have established a veiled selfishness. That’s why so many conservatives come to office, only to become big-government Republicans. It’s why so many liberals set aside a defense of civil liberties for fear of aliening majority opinion. Principle gives way to re-election.
More than once I’ve heard the declaration that a candidate would like to run for office so that he or she could be an ‘adult in the room.’ What else would one be? I’d rather know what kind of adult, with what opinions and views. Politics should be more than a sometime exercise of self-affirmation through government office.
We’d do better with more, and clearly-defined, professions of ideology in our politics.