Read on Twitter
If you are sick of my endless optimism and my incessant lecturing about closer-to-home public service, please ignore this thread.
1/
1/
I just finished my first meeting as chair of the MD Higher Education Commission. (I'm very grateful to @LarryHogan and MD State Senate for the chance to serve.)
The experience reaffirmed my views on state and local government and my endless optimism about American governing.
2/
The experience reaffirmed my views on state and local government and my endless optimism about American governing.
2/
Many people have such a distorted picture of governing, public life, society, accommodation, civility, and polarization because they think the dysfunction of Washington and national politics reflects America or governing more broadly.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
3/
Nothing could be further from the truth.
3/
So many good people--talented, experienced, public-minded, insightful, hardworking, sharp people--go about the public's business far from Washington. And they do so in ways so different than we're accustomed to seeing on cable news or on Twitter.
4/
4/
They focus on the work at hand, on their institutions, on their duties, on their neighbors. They treat one another well. They don't grandstand. They don't posture. They don't look to make waves. They just want to accomplish good things.
5/
5/
You might not know this because this kind of quiet, non-confrontational service doesn't get much ink. And because we have fewer state- and local-focused media outlets.
But this is what constitutes the bulk of actual governing in America.
6/
But this is what constitutes the bulk of actual governing in America.
6/
Obviously state and local politics and policy isn't some kind of utopia. Yes, of course, bad things happen and bad people can do bad things. Humans are humans, after all. But, so much good stuff occurs, and we talk about it too little.
7/
7/
If you want to find great public servants who are interested in solving real problems, who are committed to working with others, who just want to contribute to the public good and are willing to fly below the radar, look close to home.
8/
8/
If you want to be find fights and posturing, look far away. If you want to be outraged and find caricatures or avatars, look far away.
But if you want to be inspired, comforted, and feel good about public service, look close to home.
There's so much to be proud of.
~end
But if you want to be inspired, comforted, and feel good about public service, look close to home.
There's so much to be proud of.
~end
