This great country of ours requires statesmen and stateswomen to show the way for future leaders in elective office. In recent years, there has been a dearth of statesmen and stateswomen resulting in an above-average crop of get-along go-along elected officials. This is why you get presidential candidates like John Kerry who "voted for it before he voted against it."

The situation is particularly acute when these types of elected officials don't even know what the consensus is on issues of importance to their constituents. It is easier for them to go along to get along than to know what is happening in the local neighborhoods in their jurisdiction. All politics is local and, therefore, the more local an elective office is to its constituents the better. It makes it easier for an even half-interested elected official to attempt to understand the concerns of his or her constituents. If his or her constituents are not being heard, it is just a short reach to tap the elected official on the shoulder and awaken him or her to the clear and present realities of the day.

Unfortunately with less than an adequate number of statesmen and stateswomen role models, a greater than normal number of elected officials put their finger up and see which way the "do what we say in your town, but not in my village" community organizer and associated moneyed special interest wind is blowing. They ignore the downward effects on their constituents. But, come next election, if their constituents choose, the wind could blow at gale force from their direction, sweeping the "I voted for the special interests before I voted against the special interests" elected official(s) right out of office.

Edward W. Powers

New Hyde Park