The dictionary says the term statesmanship refers to the skillful management of public affairs.

How much of that have we seen in recent times, a real and genuine effort at creatively managing public affairs so that citizens can be included and help make good things happen?

One official offers comments or proposals and in a heartbeat someone feels compelled to disagree, with little consideration to the merits of the offering. Whatever happened to discussion and compromise to reach a suitable common ground?

Consider how politics plays into all this. If the proponent belongs to one major party, someone from the other group offers instant opposition. If a Republican says he or she thinks something might work, a Democrat has to respond negatively, and visa versa. Never mind the potential of finding a sound solution to a given problem. It’s us vs. them, and who cares about progress? People squabble for “credit” for a given matter, ignoring the good things that can get done when no one is concerned about getting credit for it.

Republicans are under fire, often justifiably, for how they have handled various issues. But instead of generating support by intelligently explaining their stand and trying to sell the opposition, they stubbornly proceed as if they could not possibly be wrong.

Democrats keep telling us they have the answers to a lot of pressing questions and will provide them if they are elected to office in place of Republicans. If they are so perceptive and brilliant, why not propose their specific remedial views and programs so people may become interested in electing them? Why wait? Put it on the table and try to make it work.

One of the keys to good statesmanship, skillful handling of public affairs, is the ability to give and take with a minimal amount of ego and self-glorification. One of the finest practitioners of this process in our time was U.S. Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas. A staunch Republican, he had the great ability to deal with people on “both sides of the aisle” in Congress and to bring people together in the Washington power structure.

Who in either party, or in the independent ranks for that matter, has such skill nowadays? Or if such skill is residing in some potential leader’s soul, why doesn’t he or she let it hang out and be put to good use? There’s too much selfishness and suspicion.

The United States and its concerned citizens need topflight statesmanship now more than they have in many years. How glorious it would be to have people of Bob Dole’s character, courage and perception in key roles now. We’ve had them before, why not now? Certainly such well-motivated people are lurking somewhere and can step forward to alter the current combative and nonproductive climate.

Any takers?