Reality Check Time
The governor of Illinois seems to have been acting less than honorably and isn't that shocking? C'mon, the man's a politician. How many can you name who left office poorer than when they entered?
Years of my life have been spent covering politicians from township trustees to United States senators. Dozens of them, probably hundreds, in Ohio and Indiana. As time went along I came to believe three of them were totally honest. The passage of more time proved I was wrong about two and the third was suffering from some mental disorder.
So where do you look for pristine behavior? The church? How many preachers and priests have been caught behaving badly in one way or another?
Business men and women? Let's be serious about this.
The unions? Yeah, sure.
Sports? Uh-huh. Right, from the Black Sox to the National Felons League the players have always served as models of upright behavior, or so they would like you to believe..
Writers? You mean aside from plagiarism and occasional lying?
No, there doesn't seem to be anywhere to look for complete, unwavering honesty aside from looking in a mirror. But can you truely say you have never crossed the line even a little sometime in your life?
Funny thing about politicians, though. In my experience the ones who have done the most for the good of the public, the ones who really know how to get things done, are also the ones who lead the way in straying from the path of honesty. It is better to have a competent crook in charge than a bumbling, self-righteous jerk who wraps himself in a cloak of morality but isn't above a little hanky-panky when the the opportunity arises. Those types are the worst.
However, if the reports are correct this Illinois governor has set a new standard for arrogant, ignorant, immoral behavior. From what we hear he doesn't appear to be a competent crook or anything even close.
posted by Dick Stodghill | 12/13/2008 02:04:00 PM
2 Comments:
I remember once counceling the son of a friend of mine who was always getting into trouble....I told him that the world is full of crooks, and that his parents are telling him to not be a crook. I suggested that it was too late...that he is a crook through and through (at the age of fourteen,) and now he will simply have to work at being the best crook he can be because after all, the jails are full of stupid incompetent crooks. I asked him what kind of crook he would like to be. The stupid kind or the smart kind. The problem, I pointed out, is that being a smart crook means you have to work at it. You can't be lazy and smart, but you CAN be lazy and stupid.
He finally decided that lazy wins. Too bad, I think he would have made an excellent politician.
The most dangerous person is the one who is "almost honest." He is honest when it is expedient to be honest and dishonest when it is expedient to be so, and with him you never know what is up.
I'd rather deal with an admitted crook. At least you know with whom you are dealing and can be on your guard.
I think Dick got it right. The worst are the self-righteous ones who use their proclaimed goodness to lure people in and then they snap the trap. I guess con-artist would be the best label for them.
Abe
Post a Comment
<< Home