People filled every seat in Maxwell Auditorium on Tuesday night, overflowing into the aisles. All were waiting for the arrival of Bill Bradley, the inaugural speaker for the Tanner Lecture Series on Ethics, Citizenship and Public Responsibility.

Bradley stood out among the crowd with his immensely tall frame. A former NBA basketball player and New Jersey senator, Bradley spoke for more than an hour about the mounting obstacles America faces today in politics and the vital role of democracy.

James Steinberg, dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, introduced Bradley by listing off his wide range of accomplishments, including two NBA championships, a Rhodes Scholarship, a candidacy for president and three terms in Congress as a senator.

Steinberg said choosing Bradley as the inaugural speaker for the newly founded series was fitting due to his dedication to strengthening public responses and civic commitment, a mission the Maxwell School shares.

The lecture, described by Bradley as ‘informal,’ was a collection of thoughts, ideas, opinions and stories shared with the audience.

Bradley spoke of what he missed most about politics since leaving Congress in 1997. He said he missed not constantly being active in public policy.

‘I miss the hopes, the fear, the dreams of the people – and sharing that,’ Bradley said. To fill these voids, Bradley said, he writes books and conducts a Sirius XM Radio show called ‘American Voices,’ which focuses on Americans’ stories of sacrifice and inspiration.

Bradley then discussed American politics and how it does not reflect the strongest aspects of society. The biggest reason, Bradley said, is simply money.

The Supreme Court decisions in 1972 and 2010 that overturned regulations on campaign contributions as a hindrance on free speech allowed special interest groups to funnel millions into politics, he said. The notion that a corporation can be legally defined as a person is something Bradley said he strongly objects.

‘I’ll believe a corporation is a person when a corporation gets married,’ he said.

This dominant role that money plays in politics, Bradley said, is a direct result of a few public policy mistakes in the past decades regarding the deregulation of the financial market and the repeal of campaign finance laws.

All American citizens need to realize that the heavy involvement of money in politics puts their future at risk, Bradley said.

‘Where would we be without government?’ Bradley asked, listing off services the government provides, including the construction of roads, and the service of the weather bureau. He said citizens who distrust the government and advocate for drastically rolling back government, such as Tea Party members, are ‘detached from reality.’

Though Bradley said he values the role of government, he also emphasized the need for accountability, responsibility and practically. He said the debt crisis must be handled with a combination of tax increases, spending cuts and reforming of Social Security and Medicare.

Said Bradley: ‘Once we gain control of our government, we can move on in the 21st century as what we were, even more, in the 20th century.’

jbundy@syr.edu 

Published on April 11, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Jen: jbundy@syr.edu