politicians

[Guest guest]

" Politicians never keep their promises. " Is it true?

Off the top of my head, I don't remember any cases where they did (but

I'm not an expert in that area).

Can I absolutely know that it's true? No. There have probably been

some who did keep at least some of their promises.

Whose business is it whether politicians keep their promises?

Not mine. Theirs? God's?

And the reality is that often they do not keep their promises. So

should they?

No...

How do I react when I think the thought that politicians never keep

their promises and they should?

Angry and frustrated. Cheated, betrayed. I want to throw them out of

office. They have no right to manipulate the public's perceptions in

that way. Corporations get in trouble for false advertising -

politicians should too. If they make a promise and break it, there

should be consequences.

Mmmmm... How do *I* react? " They have no right to manipulate public

perceptions. " Is that true?

They do it, don't they?

" People can have rights. " Is that true?

No. Rights are just a story, just a thought.

Without that story about rights, who would I be?

Unconcerned about rights. My concern would be to follow the thread of

my life and let other people do what they do.

What is my reaction when I believe in the idea of rights?

I want to make sure I get all mine. I want to make sure others are

treated fairly. (Why? So I'll be treated fairly also? Is my concern

with the rights of others really about me? (pause) My concern with the

rights of others is really about me.)

So, " politicians have no right to manipulate public perceptions. " Is

that true?

That's unanswerable in that form. They don't have the right because

there's no such thing, but it's okay that they do that, ultimately.

Other than my not liking it, there's nothing wrong with it.

So, " it's not okay for politicians to manipulate public perceptions. "

Is that true?

No.

How do I react when I think that " it's not okay for politicans to

manipulate public perceptions? "

Fearful. I can't trust anything they tell me. I become a conspiracy

theorist. I preoccupy myself with figuring out what's *really* going

on.

Who would I be without that thought? I see through *all* of the

political story. I don't believe the politicians, but I'm not

surprised by their behavior. I see through the story that politics is

deadly important and that I have to take it seriously. Often, I have a

good time laughing at it. That feels better. And I think there's lots

of work for me to do in this area.

--

Tom Barron | " It is better to debate a question without settling

tbarron@... | it than to settle a question without debating it. "