How do we get good men and women to make the sacrifice to run for public office? This is one of the major questions currently facing the nation, and there is no easy answer. Serving on elective bodies, whether the race is for city commission, county commission, school board, state legislature, statewide office or the U.S. Congress, those seeking elective office must be willing to make a sacrifice.

And, in most cases, the “winners” end up making more of a sacrifice because they receive less compensation than they would if they had remained in full-time business or professional positions. They must spend far more time away from their families and businesses and, if they attempt to do a top-flight job, they are bound to step on toes and even offend close friends.

This past week, much attention was given to the presidency of Gerald Ford, his days as a college student at Michigan University and a law student at Yale, his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, his entrance into the political arena when he ran for the U.S. House, and his eventual rise to the most powerful elective office in the world, the U.S. presidency.

Time and time again during the various remembrances following his death, speakers told of Ford’s honesty, his belief that people can have strong differences without being disagreeable, and his being guided by what was right rather than basing his decisions on what polls or focus groups indicated would be the most popular or politically advantageous action.

Both Republicans and Democrats lauded Ford for his straight-forward approach, and they were quick to say his unconditional pardon of Richard Nixon probably cost him the election to a full four-year term as president. At the time, his popularity plummeted, but now, even his critics agree that his action was in the best interests of the country. Jimmy Carter, who defeated Ford by a narrow margin, made special mention at Ford’s funeral services of the honesty and genuineness of Ford, noting the two men and their families were extremely close friends in the post-presidential years.

During the week of Ford services, there seemed to be a genuine bipartisan feeling of appreciation for what Ford represented and the manner in which he conducted himself, both as an officeholder and as an individual. This special feeling may not last long, but for a brief period, it seemed as if the general populace, in retrospect, came to have a better understanding and appreciation of the man and his honest manner in meeting the challenges of his office. He appears to have been guided by what was best for the country, regardless of the political fallout.

It would be great if this feeling could last for a long time and actually infect current officeholders, as well as those considering entering the political arena. For a while, there seemed to be a hunger for more Jerry Ford types in politics.

Why don’t more people like Jerry Ford run for office? What must be done to encourage such individuals to make the sacrifice to seek office? On the flip side, do many candidates start off sharing many of Ford’s admired qualities but become tarnished or jaded after moving into office? Do partisan, hard-fought political races have a negative impact on a large percentage of officeholders, and do they soon justify actions and behavior that, at the outset of their careers, they would have criticized or renounced?

At a recent gathering at the Dole Institute of Politics, a group of the nation’s top political pollsters and campaign strategists agreed that negative campaigning is the most effective way to win an election, particularly for a candidate seeking to oust an incumbent. Some highly qualified individuals probably would balk at entering a political contest knowing the only way to win is to be as negative as possible in attacking their opponent. Another factor that might deter individuals thinking about entering a state or national race is the constantly growing cost of a campaign and the fact that officeholders must continue to spend large lengths of time seeking financial support. How to accommodate special interests who want or demand favors from elected officials is another negative.

Would Gerald Ford have been elected to the U.S. House in today’s political climate? Would he even have wanted to be a candidate?

This country needs able, properly motivated, honest men and women – regardless of their political affiliations – to run for public office. Our system of government depends on such individuals and an informed populace.

The media can play a vital role in this matter by being vigilant observers of what is going on and demanding total transparency in what the public should know about city, county, state or national government affairs and actions.

One of the problems facing both the media and those seeking office is that those in the media believe it is their responsibility to disclose any and all information about a candidate – good or bad. On the other hand, does an individual want to have every facet of his or her professional and personal life, as well as any and all actions of family members, made public? Many say “no.”

As stated earlier, a candidate or officeholder makes many sacrifices, but, fortunately, there are those who share the vision and commitment of Gerald Ford. These people need to be encouraged and supported in their bid for public office.

Although he was never elected to serve as vice president or president and served less than 300 days as president, Ford set some high standards. He was not flashy; he was not a great orator. He was the butt of many jokes and he did not start his political career with the goal of becoming president.

But he was dedicated to trying to be a “good” president and to earn the respect of his fellow Americans.

Based on the tributes of those who served with him, as well as those who were on the opposite side of the political fence, he did, indeed, do a “good” job and was successful in earning the respect of his colleagues and countrymen.