This is the third post in a series on “a better way.” Here are the first and the second posts.

“I do hereby solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of this state and of the United States and, on all questions and measures which may come before me, I will so conduct myself, as will, in my judgment, be most conducive to the interests and prosperity of this state.” - Oath of Office for members of the Georgia Legislature.

When a newly elected member of the Georgia Legislature takes the oath of office, that elected official places their hand on the Bible, raises their right hand, and states the oath listed above. In addition, members of the Georgia Legislature vote to approve the rules that govern their Chamber (House or Senate). These rules describe how the Chamber will conduct its business and also how each member must behave. There are also unwritten rules in the form of traditions and conventions that can be as important as the published rules. Violations of these rules can result in minor penalties and, in rare cases, the expulsion of the offending member from the Legislature. Violations of the unwritten rules can render a Legislator ineffective. For the House or the Senate to accomplish what the citizens expect, Legislators must be held accountable to these rules, and a formal structure exists to ensure they are followed.

One of the major complaints people have about politicians is that they don’t do what they say they will do. They run for office, saying they will remain true to the principles they claim to hold, but once elected, forget all about it and go with the flow. Some elected officials have made the claim, “There’s a difference between campaigning and governing.” That’s true in the sense that unrealistic campaign claims are just that, unrealistic. But the feeling the public has that once elected, people forget who they are is, sadly, true in many instances. That being said, none of the elected officials I served with wanted to abandon their principles or break their promises. How then can one stay true to their core beliefs while still being an effective elected official? In addition to following the rules of whatever office one holds, I believe it is about being accountable to your conscience and your constituents, and about being surrounded by a “band of brothers and sisters” you trust and who will hold you accountable.

Your Conscience.

Each of us, whether a religious person or not, has a conscience. There are certain things human beings instinctively know are right and wrong. When we listen to our conscience, it remains strong; repeatedly ignoring it, however, deadens it. It becomes, as the Apostle Paul wrote, as if our conscience has been “seared with a hot iron.” (1 Timothy 4:2).

As elected officials or people active in politics, it is crucial that we keep our consciences strong. More from the Apostle Paul’s first letter to his mentee, Timothy:

Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 1 Timothy 1:18-19

Believe me when I say, holding elected office is not for the person with a weak conscience. You are pulled in a thousand different directions by people who want you to advance their interests, and will try to destroy you if you disagree. If your conscience is weak, or through repeatedly ignoring it, your conscience becomes “seared with a hot iron,” you might find yourself involved in things you never dreamed of, to your ruin and the ruin of your family and reputation. There are countless examples of this in our politics these days. For your own sake, please hold on to your faith and a good conscience.

Your Constituents.

Elected Officials must be accountable to their constituents. This doesn’t mean that you only ever do what is popular. Remember your conscience and your expertise. As Edmund Burke famously said, a representative “owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.” There’s a fine line here because elections are perhaps the ultimate accountability for elected officials. Stray too far from popular opinion, and your service to the people will end. Be careful then, what promises you make on the campaign trail!

Joseph Overton of the Macinac Center for Public Policy developed what became known as the “Overton Window.” Overton’s window states that on any given issue, there is a range of solutions acceptable to the public. Politicians must stay within this window for their ideas to gain traction (and ultimately be reelected). Those with ideas outside the window take heart, the window on most issues shifts over time. Needless to say, we see this play out in politics on a regular basis. Ideas once thought absurd are now extremely popular, and politicians who promote outlandish solutions are sometimes booted from office.

In my experience, constituents will accept that you have a different opinion from theirs if you can explain your position and demonstrate that you arrived at it honestly, not because you caved to political pressure.

Band of Brothers & Sisters.

During my time in the Georgia Legislature, I was blessed to have a group of colleagues who shared my worldview and approach to serving in public office. We would often gather in our office suite, affectionately known as “The 504” (since it was room 504 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building), and debate various political issues and bills under consideration. Sometimes our debates got heated, and sometimes we disagreed and ended up voting differently on a particular bill. But the great thing about this little band of brothers and sisters was that we held each other accountable. I lost count of how many times we asked each other, “Would you, as a candidate for office, have voted for this bill?” In other words, are you staying true to who you told the voters you would be? Obviously, a Legislator must be willing to change his or her mind based on new information, and as a Legislator, I learned new things every day, but my friends and I did our best to hold true to the principles that motivated us to run for office in the first place. We weren’t perfect, nobody is, and there are several votes I wish I could go back and change, words I wish I could take back, and actions I would love to undo, but in the main, I stayed true. I couldn’t have done it without the accountability those men and women provided.

An elected official, I’m convinced, must be surrounded by people who will look you in the eye and call you out when they think you’re veering from the straight and narrow path. Find those kinds of people and give them permission to hold you accountable, and when they’re right, admit your mistake and get back on track.

A word to political activists and voters: Be realistic in what you demand of your elected officials. We see this frequently these days in social media posts demanding that a politician obey “we the people” or warning that they are on the “wrong side of history.” Oftentimes, those making such demands hold political positions far outside the Overton Window.

Instead of making bold, unpopular demands, recognize that incremental, positive change can be a good thing. There’s a reason football teams don’t throw “Hail Mary” passes every play - they almost never work. “Three yards and a cloud of dust” will get you to the endzone eventually - and that’s OK.