Personal Politics
So here’s my running theory on politicians. And here I’m thinking high-level ones. e.g. Someone willing to run for president of the United States in the media age.
In order for someone to be willing to go through the insanity that such a process is, they have to be, well, insane. My baseline assumption is that all such politicians (of whatever political persuasion) have some deep-seated “off” tendencies. I assume they are some pretty emotionally messed up human beings in some pretty key existential areas. [That's my basic running theory on all human beings btw, it's just with politicians of that level, they end up with way more power than the normal person.]
Think of these names: Tony Blair, The Clintons, George W. Bush, John McCain, Sarah Palin, and yes the current President. Not lacking in egos those folks, to put it oh so mildly.
But they are still human beings and should be afforded the basic decency, particularly in relation to their families, that such humanity brings.
On the other hand, personal biography matters. This is my second basic principle of politics: people don’t really change, politicians even less so. Call it the political law of karma if you like: the conditions will play out.
As a wise friend of mine once told me, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
With politicians this is oh so true. [Read more →]
November 18, 2009 34 Comments
