An American act that is hard to follow

I was on a California freeway, in 2008, when the radio reported the victory of then candidate Barack Obama for the presidency of the United States of America. Then, the president-elect gave his inspiring message of hope to his nation with such eloquence that even I, a Filipino, sojourning in a foreign land, had my goose bumps. Few minutes later, I heard the speech of losing contender Sen. John McCain, immediately conceding to and congratulating the winner. More importantly, he offered support to the victor’s administration in ways he could. How marvelous the workings of their democracy was and maybe, just maybe, such observation I had, explained Montesquieu’s profound impression of the American system, a hundred years earlier.

Sen. McCain’s Republican Party ruled the US Congress following the 2008 elections. Understandably, when Pres. Obama proposed a package to bail the American car makers out of an impending bankruptcy, the Republicans were expectedly arrayed against it. But, to our awe, they scrutinized such plan not with the bitterness of an electoral loser but with the nobility of a patriot offering critical examination if only to achieve common American benefit.

By a twist of fate, I was on a road in Southern Leyte, few days ago, when, the reelection of President Obama was announced on radio. Then, I also heard the speech of thanks of the president. Not long after, defeated candidate, former Governor Mitt Romney, conceded to the reelected president and in wishing him success, asked the people, to include those who worked in vain for his election, to support the triumphant.

The debacles of Republicans Sen. McCain and Gov. Romney, show that great American leaders, of opposing political parties and coming out from bitterly contested elections, forget the sting of their electoral jousts and publicly announce support to the victor.  Indeed, in between election periods, they attempt to find compromises, even in the most contentious issues, in search of formulae to propel their country forward. While they do not abandon party philosophies, they apparently endeavor to work things out always to serve the highest interests of their citizenry. That is why, no matter the differences of their approaches to basic problems, they always end up conceding to what is best for their people.

How marked a contrast do they have with our own breed of politicians. When the honorable Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama announced that he was leaving the BOPK, the city council, whose majority membership remained stuck with the group, felt estranged from their mayor. They had become sworn enemies. Soon after such declaration of disaffiliation by the mayor, he was denied support to his city programs by the sangguniang panlungsod, believably upon orders from the BOPK boss. In other words, because they parted political kinship, they lost the commonality of their public service orientation. By agreeing to disagree, they, unfortunately, could not anymore work together to address jointly the needs of the city.

One classic example of such disagreement was a council resolution mandating that all funds generated by the sale of any parcel of South Road Properties (SRP) lot be devoted solely for the SRP itself. The effect of such resolution was simple. All proceeds of sales of SRP lots could only be allocated to road construction, drainage, lighting facilities all within the SRP and nowhere else.

The said council move was in response to a declaration, earlier made by the city mayor, that he wanted some portions of the SRP sold so that he would have enough money for other projects not connected with the reclaimed land. The resolution tied the hands of the mayor and prevented him from pursuing other developmental projects.

The lessons provided by the recently concluded US presidential derby should help all of us discern what to do in the 2013 polls. All voters, for instance, have to examine the programs of candidates against the backdrop of sincerity and honesty. But, whatever the results be, of utmost importance to our nation will be the gestures of our leaders after the votes are counted. The American act may be hard to follow, but if our politicians replicate, what the Sen. John McCain and Gov. Romney showed, we, the people, regardless of political color, may well have all won.