Centralight

Serving public interest Sen. Levin kicks off new speaker series Sen. Carl Levin believes that as fi duciaries of public trust, legislators need to thoughtfully weigh issues and act in the public's best interest – not simply follow constituents' wishes. "The obligation of a public servant is not to serve the public mood of the moment, but to serve the public interest," he said. Levin visited campus in November as the inaugural speaker for the Philip A. Hart and William G. Milliken Endowed Speaker Series for Integrity in Politics. The speaker series has been designed to challenge people to "approach politics in a way that embraces America's diversity of ideas and perspectives," said Pamela Gates, interim dean of CMU's College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences. "It is intended to bring to campus individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to stimulating positive change in the public policy arena." Levin told the audience in Bush Theatre that he has received thousands of invitations to speak throughout his political career. "But tonight is especially humbling because of the character of the two leaders that Central Michigan has chosen to honor with this lecture series. Phil Hart and Bill Milliken rank among the very best public servants that our nation has produced," Levin said. 8 centralight spring '10 The late Philip A. Hart served as a U.S. senator from 1959 through 1976. William G. Milliken served as Michigan's governor from 1969 through 1982. "These two men were great public servants because they put their talents to work with exceptional integrity and unshakeable dedication to the public good," Levin said. "These two men were so decent, so principled, so clearly striving to do the right thing instead of the easy thing. … These men earned the respect and admiration of their constituents and their colleagues, extraordinary respect, of a depth very rare in politics." Levin said Hart and Milliken had strong moral compasses – critical for politicians to navigate through personal beliefs, constituents' needs, colleagues' opinions and lobbyists' positions. "Without an ethical framework to guide you as you balance these competing goals and interests, the crosswinds will knock you off course. "Great public servants such as Phil Hart and Bill Milliken recognized that above all else, the obligation of a public servant is not to serve the public mood of the moment, but to serve the public interest as best one can judge it." • Click here to see Sen. Levin's speech. PHOTOS BY PEGGY BRISBANE

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