President’s Message: Light, Not Heat
by Chris Berleth, President/CEO, Columbia Montour Chamber
Last night, America tuned in for a highly polarized national debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. As the country weighs the candidates’ remarks, this much is clear: the exchanges were heated, and candidates’ responses told us little that we didn’t already know about their policy positions.
Your Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce does not have a political action committee, nor do we endorse candidates. You won’t read about your local chamber picking a winner – that’s not our goal. Rather, we have no problem calling out when we feel like losers – that so long as candidates don’t discuss the policy and regulatory concerns that will undoubtedly impact us in the years to come, it is the electorate which loses.
At the Chamber, our vision for public discourse is to “generate light, not heat,” and to elevate the discussion on policies that will lead us to prosperity and the common good.
In addition to your Chamber’s historic efforts to do so, this concept of “light, not heat” was the mantra of my good friend Joe McGranaghan, former Mayor of Shamokin Dam, who served as moderator of several candidate forums for our good neighbors to the west. Stern and straightforward, Joe asked honest questions, and sought matter-of-fact responses. While he certainly held an opinion himself, he sought to ask the tough questions that were as nonpartisan as possible. He brought this skillset to his political career and to his day job as a radio host and interviewer. I admired this trait in him greatly.
Today is September 11, 2024, and I cannot help but feel that several different elements of American life are converging before my eyes. First, I cannot help but pause and remember where I was twenty-three years ago, the decisions that arose from that awful and fearful day, the triumphalism of American resolve, and the bravery of ordinary citizens. Second, I am dissatisfied by the state of state and national politics that polarize and divide our people. Third, I am resolved not to be a part of that polarization. Lastly, I hope to honor the memory and legacy of my recently departed friend Joe, who passed away earlier this year.
Our community has come to expect that the Chamber will host meaningful discourse before the November 5 election. We are grateful that the community trusts us with this weighty task. That said, honoring the public trust means resolutely protecting against an outcome that further divides the electorate – on an outcome that generates light, not heat. Much of this depends on formatting, the moderator, and the bravery and quality of the questions being asked – that they are honest, unbiased, and designed to inform.
It also depends on a willingness to engage in such a discussion by our candidates, and so our message today is to stay tuned. In the coming weeks, your Chamber will be taking steps to secure a format that is amenable to all candidates and honors the values expressed herein. So long as all candidates in a given race can agree to our format, we will do our best to honor the tradition of bringing light, not heat. As we navigate the increasingly polarized landscape, know that it is our hope to open the door to honest discussion, and flip on the light switch to the answers that lead us in hope to increasingly better government.