by Louie Tacker
AS the elections in the Philippines has just wrapped up, politicians there may have already subsided with their talks, campaigns and all. Here in America though, politicians have started their babble already, though election is still over a year away.
I thought it won’t be for another year before we get bombarded with all the “I will do this, I will do that if you elect me”, or “I am the best, I understand your needs, blah, blah, blah..” But no, the show has now begun. It all started with Hillary and the boys, and the other party followed suit.
Well, I thought Hillary Clinton had done enough work as senator from New York. But it seems now in this time of politicking, that her achievements are just secondary. What is presently prevailing are personal attacks and mudslinging. And this goes on as a back and forth game, with both parties throwing some mouthfuls to each other.
In the previous years, candidates usually waited till the last eight months before starting with their political strategies, but it seems that is not the case anymore. Candidates can now afford an early start campaigning around, as they seem to have much resources. I think that today, for one to enter the political game, he or she has to be rich to be able to afford the expensive trend of politics at present and buy themselves TV ads to boost their candidacy. Yet there is the supposed claim that our country was born on the principle that any person can become our leader… oh, but of course, that, and about 20 million dollars.
Where did it go astray? Any democracy should be for the people, by the people and of the people. But now, it is for the wealthy and powerful only.
As I have always reiterated, I am politically independent. I realize the need of at least a two party system, but I refuse to be a sheep, and belong to just one party. I do not want to vote for one person just because he or she is representing my party, so therefore I keep my options open.
My friend and author of this blog, Rhodora, once wrote here about the politics in the Philippines. And reading her write up is just like reading an article on U.S. political system. Deals, favors, empty promises… and I could go and on forever.
I think however, that it is time now for people all over the world to really, I mean, really look and take interest and clean sweep out the old system. For instance, I want a shorter term of office for the senators and representatives. I don’t understand why, our president can only serve two terms, when the congressmen and senators are able to serve for 20-30 years!
I remember when one of our national treasures here, the Yellowstone national park, was burning seven or eight years ago. My heart was broken as such beauty was burning wildly out of control. All those in the press were predicting decades of vast barrenness. Then I remembered what my father had told me as child, that forest fires are normal and they are actually ways of nature in order to clear the ground for new, fresh growth. How right he was for it did not take even a decade for the trees to regrow. After only a few years, the park was restored to its old self, and you could not even tell there was a massive fire there. Once again, nature has proven itself, and it is trying to tell us something we must listen to.
I guess it’s time for political fires, to clear out the old in order to bring new, fresh thoughts. We need people who truly care, and not those who take elected seats to protect the interests of their wealthy celebrity friends.
I like President George Bush. I don’t agree with all his politics as no one can, but I do respect and admire his understanding of our and the world’s enemy. And yet with everyone who wants to run now for the presidency here, no one of them has any intelligent plans about what they will do. They just hurl personal attacks on their own president.
I didn’t personally admire President Clinton but I respected that he was my president. I also respected the office he held, till he himself disrespected it with his immoral ways and committing perjury to the Senate. Now, don’t misunderstand me. What he did with his marriage was his personal life and his business, but not in the office of the people!
It takes a strong man to make the decisions Mr. Bush has made, no matter what anyone says about Iraq. Just look at the over 20 million Iraqis who voted and risked their lives to vote for the first time ever. It will not happen over night but at least they have chance now to have a say in their children’s future. This is just one of the positive results of Mr. Bush’s action and stand in this Middle East country.
Now, at this early, these politicians want to torture us with their political advances. Oh, spare me please, I would rather watch paint dry! LOL!
Many Americans turn away from politics. As for me, I really don’t care for politicians, but I realize the importance of what’s going on, and I know it is a sad day when more Americans vote in American Idol than in their own presidential election.
Over here, we are enamored with celebrities and their views. I hope that in at least your country, you can distinguish that just because someone can act and is famous, does not make them experts on how we “ordinary” people live. Be careful, my Filipino friends. I hope that in the last election you had, you did not get swayed with the babbling politicians and celebrities spewing their venom.
I am not naïve though. I know politics has always had corruption, lies and so on. It is alarming that it has become so rampant now. The danger now is that Americans don’t care anymore, and don’t even bother to vote anymore. Alas, there is too much danger in our planet to be placid. Maybe it is time to listen to nature, time for that political forest fire, not just here but all over in every free society.
In closing, let me share with you my political preference. In case you are wondering who I am leaning to for our next president, it would be Rudolph Gulianni, America’s mayor, as he is called. I lived here when he was mayor of New York. I have seen first hand how he handled the 9/11 turmoil. This man held this huge terror stricken city together as one, Democrats or Republicans alike. Sure, I know there are skeletons in any politician’s closet, but one thing is for sure, that he proved to be a leader, a person looked to in a time of dismay for answers. And he delivered. That’s good enough for me, so far.
Hi, Louie!
Well, as I observed during the last election we just had here, while there were many movie actors and celebrities who sought candidacy, very few of them actually made it to the win. I guess Filipinos are now awakening and are learning from past elections, when the celebrities they voted for turned out to be not so deserving or capable to carry out the duties entailed in thei posts.
Wow! Not many people are pro-Bush these days… Personally I think he is the worst President you ever had!
The world would have been a much safer and better place with Al Gore!
Ah, politics…
Politics and their implications … Meh!
i’m probably the most apolitical Political Science student i know. that said, i want to commend Mr. Tracker’s well-written article.
i agree when he said that the old political system needs to be revamped. but this is too idealistic; it can’t happen peacefully in our lifetime, considering how unstable world politics is today. i think that this massive change can happen in two ways: an outright revolution, complete with blood and gore or the current system has reached such perfection that it dies a natural death to give way to another one.
a critical mass of people won’t just wake up one day and think ‘we need to change this’. sure some people do now, but not so much as to reach numbers that actually count. it will all come in time. one step after the other.
The death of 3000 something plus American soldiers and God knows how many thousands of Iraqis so that their 20 million can vote and form a shaky government is to me quite a steep price to pay
The bottom line is presidents are judged by their accomplishments or results, not by the grandeur of their ideas.
Politics can never be perfect and Pinas has a very long way to go. The positive thing that I see is the emergence of the younger generation in the national leadership and that of course excludes the celebrity politicians
I like Bill. I would also like Hillary to become the first U.S. President.
Rudy might have scared the wits off the NY’s mafiosi, but he lacks the charisma to lead a nation. Had it not been for 9/11, he would have sunk into oblivion.
I remember during the tenure of Liberal Government of PM Jean Chretien, he and GW was not getting along well, but Chretien was known to brag that he was the longest serving leader of them all. We don’t have a term limit for any of our politicians. If he’s good and His Party want him to stay as a leader and the people want that person to be their PM, good for the Party. I believe we have a stonger Party System of Government than that of our Neighbor to the south, which somehow, lean more on Personality. What do you think?
I meant: the first female U.S. president.
Let me just add that I have never seen a truer public servants than Bill and Hillary. Bill may have questionable character when it came to his infidelities, but not once was he ever embroiled in a political scandal as Nixon, Reagan, and George Bush had. And now, George W.’s missing WMD. This only proves the adverse effects of political dynasties.
Man, I still can’t upload my comments…
Anyway, here it goes again.
I have a better idea to clean up the rotten system. Why not cull our present ranks of politicians? You know, like in selective extermination? Leave the good ones and send the rest to the guillotine. Yeah, I know I know, it’s extreme. But if it works…
Snglguy, I am with you for the guillotine!
Hi Rhodora! Thanks for posting my article again. It’s nice to be back with the fine people of the Philippines.
Hello Sidney. Thanks for responding. It’s not that i am pro or anti Bush but I only state facts as living here I have a different perspective. Let me state first that I HATE wars - any war , but am realistic enough to realize that they are inevitable in our world. Man has not nearly evolved enough mentally to see there are other ways.
As far as Bush goes, yes he will be judged on his actions and we won’t know the results till many years form now. Raegan was crucified when he went after Russia , now he is adored over 20 years after as a leader with foresight in a time when others only feared the mighty Russia. He broke them down. Till that point we lived here in fear - nuclear war fear for years with Russia. Now we welcome and are full of Russian immigrants, who have contributed to our country over the last 20years…so give it time….
As for Al GORE - please, you really don’t know the man who preaches of global warming .yet lives in a 22 room mansion. his electric bill is 22 times the national average rate. flies private jets only, yet preaches that we must conserve energy.
Hi Kyels, thanks for reading this post. Ah, yes, politics and politicians. I have no use for either…..lol
Hello Liz: I can see why studying politics would make anyone apolitical……….lol….Trust me I am not that naive to believe we can change corrupt political systems over night but one has to start somewhere. Over here, I believe we can do it by limiting terms in the Senate and Congress, like how our president is limited to two terms because like I stated, the longer they serve the more favors and friends are created and the more the people suffer form the insider deals.. Our political system here is a bog of muck and mire where nothing ever gets done. Also, it would be nice if the Congress and Senate were required to vote on bills. Some of their voting records are a joke. After all I believe that’s what we pay them for………lol
Hi bw: Thanks for you views and I truly respect how you feel. I also do not cherish wasted lives because of war….yet I also am realistic enough to see the end results if everyone stands back and watches…
Let me ask you this: Was it not a huge price that the Kurds paid a few years back when that madman exterminated over 200.000 of them? No one expected this to be an easy turnover, and yes the real hope lies in the YOUTH but they also need a chance to be heard which is the whole idea of a democratic system.
One can’t expect to turn a dictatorship around overnight We too have a civil war in our country over 100 years ago. In some battles 5,6,7 thousand died in minutes - the worst war we ever had here. Also I believe the 3,000 that died on 9/11 over here was a HUGE PRICE TO PAY for just going to work that day. Let’s face it, I understand that one must live in america to see the real story, the rest of the world only hears what our liberal media wants them to hear…..I am not saying every political decision the U.S. has made over the years is correct. World ploitics is a very difficult and dirty game to say the least………..
Hi Eric, thanks for your comment and I’m glad you like Hillary and Bill. Bill does have that charisma, but living here as a politician, he was no better nor worse than the rest. It’s just that he is a born salsesman and he sold himself very well as excellent communicator.
As with Hillary , now thats a different story. As a New Yorker, I can say that she set up residence here only to run for Senate and represent a distrcit she knew nothing about, only to achieve her goal for candidacy to the presidency.
I believe she has done NOTHING for the state of New York and was a huge proponent of Iraq’s invasion when it was a popular move 5 years ago. Like a true politician, she has now flip flopped.
As far as Rudy is concerned, well, I was here. I smelled the burning flesh that day. I saw people jumping out from 100 floors above the earth to escape the unbearable torture of being burnt alive in those towers. So maybe I am biased because I see how Rudy held a panic stricken city and country together…like a leader should. He was there hands on. Also long befrore 9/11 he took a city with a huge deficit, cleaned up times square and other troubled areas, of street urchins, prostitutes, and in general low lifes and lowered taxes.
Hi Vic: .Thanks for you insightful comments. I have to agree with you, the U.S. has let the rich and powerful take control of not only the present offices, but more importantly the Congress and Senate. You see, you are right. Down here, Americans seem to be more interested in voting for the damn American Idol than the presidency. Sad but true..and yes they fall for the charisma types. Billy boy was a cinch he could charm the spots of a leopard.
Our system has ben corrupted now in to solely two parties and it is estimated that over 20 million dollars is needed to run for the office of president. To me this is very sad. I actually grew up thinking every one had a chance to run for any office.
rhodora, i’m not into politics, and don’t have a clue about the political issues in the US, but this post surely moved me. and it’s true that people who would be good for the country can’t run because they have no money. or because they aren’t that “famous”.
and corruption? in my view, it is an endless cycle, and will continue to be there unless you put a stop to it. look at this country, they have the “black gold” and should be wealthy like other arab countries. but what happened? only pockets have been fattened, but not the economy, nor the poor and desperate people. it’s saddening =( because of this, most people cheat and steal, some become savages, killing for a few bucks. it’s depressing.
regarding mayor rudy, i’ve read a lot of articles about him after 9/11. as you said, everyone has a skeleton in the closet, but what’s important was his performance during the 9/11 nightmare.
Eric, I beg to disagree. Read up on the Clintons {both of them} WHITEWATER REAL ESTATE SCANDAL that started when he was the governor of Arkansas and followed to the White House and the trail of dead bodies that followed.
Like I have stated many times I am neither Republican nor Democrat. I am independent and I will vote for the lesser of the two evils.
I agree Billy boy has charisma but morals for a politician are important. Tell me what do you tell and 8 year old who asks daddy what did the president do to that woman that got him in so much trouble.
I defend none of these politicians because politics is a filthy business. Hillary is a power monger already and is already mudslinging her democrat opponents as early as now. She recently took over 800.000.00, from a rap star producer who publishes songs so vile that i would not print the lyrics here. And in the next breath she talks about morals and public profanity…..
I respect your opinion though.
With regards to WMD. well, what killed the 200,000 kurds? Every intelligent source told the president that they were there - France even, Germany even, England. The UN gave him 6 months to dispose of them. Oh i think you might find them in Syria by the way.
I also would like to see a woman president here maybe Miss Rice?
I don’t know much about the US politics but I see articles about the current campaigns now & then. I liked the Clinton’s probably because Bill is very personable. I am actually hoping Hilary will win, I see her as a strong and qualified woman. I have been aghast at the level of dirt being thrown at her recently. Though I have been disappointed with her slogan “we’re in it, to win it”?
For certain, I have notice that the present run-up to next year’s election is the most heated in years like every candidate is getting at each other’s throat more than ever. In some way, this becomes like the Philippine sitiuation. Yet on the otherhand, it becomes much livelier than before where mostly presidential candidates just mumble unispire words. Now, it’s different, Hillary, Obama, Mitt Romney and Gugliani are lively candidates and it makes election there more colorful and interesting.
I like Gugliani but my apprehension about him is ethnicity, like is America ready for a president heavy on the Italian side; like they said they were never ready to elect a vice-president of Jewish descent.
Major Tom….hi. Yes it is a lively race but started way too early. People will tire of the babble and filthy politics that Hillary started already. As far a Gulianni , I will stick my neck out and say he will win easily. I think he can overcome being Italian and also Catholic - two negatives as far as a US president goes.