By Jim Edgar and John Shaw
As we all know, the United States is in the midst of a bitterly contentious political campaign in which the presidency and control of Congress are in question. Analysts say that the United States faces graver threats to its national security than it has in decades, perhaps ever. War is raging in Europe and the Middle East; tensions are rising in Asia; tempers are flaring across America.
In the face of all this acrimony and conflict, it is tempting to turn off the TV, stop reading the newspaper, and tune out the political world.
However, we offer another suggestion: Let’s take a deep breath and shift our focus closer to home.
Let’s look at the constructive things that are happening in Illinois and in our local communities, and let’s use it as the foundation for rebuilding our national politics and government. Ronald Reagan might have put it, let’s make Illinois “a shining city upon a hill.”
Four years ago, we established the Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award to shine the spotlight on remarkable leadership that is taking place in our State and our communities. We were looking for Illinois political leaders who are thinking about their children and grandchildren, and acting to create a better future for them.
The annual Simon-Edgar Statesmanship Award will be presented to an elected State or local government official in Illinois who has demonstrated a pattern of public service characterized by vision, courage, compassion, effectiveness, civility, and bipartisanship.
We are eager to receive and review nominations about inspiring leaders in Illinois such as mayors who are crafting creative plans for their cities and making hard decisions to realize their aspirations; city council members who are committed to long-term strategies for their communities; and State legislators and constitutional officers who are willing to break from party orthodoxy to advance solutions that improve the lives of fellow Illinoisans.
Nominations for this year’s Simon-Edgar Award opened April 1. We are accepting nominations until June 15.
To nominate a candidate or candidates, please write a brief letter describing how the person has displayed the qualities of statesmanship outlined above. Please send an E-mail to PaulSimonInstitute@siu.edu or, send your letter to Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Southern Illinois University, Mail Code 4429, 1231 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL, 62901-4304.
We are confident that recipient of the 2024 Simon-Edgar Award will inspire confidence that better government and more principled politics are not only possible, but actually occurring in Illinois.
Jim Edgar was the 38th governor of Illinois. He founded the Edgar Fellows Program at the University of Illinois’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs. John Shaw is the director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
—Illinois Press Association