We’ve all heard the expression “the truth will set you free” but this is rarely the case when it comes to politics. Politicians see to it that we only hear their version of truth, a point often enforced by an army of cronies and helpers who spin us into believing whatever they say.
Politicians, as we all know, are evil and yet sadly necessary. The world would be a terrible place if every decision relied on popular vote; there would be piles of rotting garbage in every street, people with no clothes on at all (or rather people with millions of clothes), and plagues everywhere. Kennedy is believed to have said (apocryphally) that “sometimes party loyalty asks too much.” The example he uses is the vote for cloture on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He voted against cloture because he believed it would weaken the bill. This was in opposition to his leader Lyndon Johnson who had ordered all Democratic senators to vote in favor of the bill.
This is what I mean by politicians often asking too much; they ask us not only to believe their version of truth but also that we abide by their decisions and support them when they have failed us (see ‘legislation’ above). In Ireland, there are many examples of this ‘asking too much’.
5 Questions About Politicians You Should Answer Truthfully :
1. Why should we vote for you?
Politicians will always claim that they are the best person for the job. “Vote for me because I have a track record of solving problems” one will say. But is this really true? When was the last time any politician in Ireland solved a problem? Joking aside, if a politician sincerely believes he is good for his country then there should be no problem answering this question. If he does not believe this, or does not know what it means to solve a problem then he is in the wrong job.
2. What is your biggest failure?
I’m sure many politicians will shy away from this question and those that answer it will do so in the least embarrassing way possible. A politician who answers this question honestly will be one who has seen a problem and failed to solve it. If a politician only fails at things they don’t care about then they are either doing too little or too much. How you choose to answer this question shows whether or not you see the problem as yours to solve.
3. What is your biggest success?
Similar to the previous question; if you have solved any problems, and have any track record in politics then you have probably done something right at some point in time. Why not be proud of your successes and not ashamed to answer this question?
4. Should we trust you?
We all know that politicians can not be trusted and yet we do. We cheer them on as they build castles in the air while they claim that they are going to solve problems with the money of our taxes. We applaud them when they finally get around to solving a problem and we give them a round of applause at election time or whenever else they need it. This all leads me to ask why it is that we, the people, trust politicians so much? If you can honestly answer this question then you will know why you should be trusted.
5. If you could do one thing to make your country a better place, what would it be?
I suppose this is the most important question because it shows you exactly how a politician thinks. If they have any hope of solving problems they need to know what problems to solve. If they think the problems can be solved with more money then that says something about their priorities. A politician who answers this question with something like “equal treatment and opportunity for all citizens” would be a hero in my eyes.
Conclusion :
Politicians are not always evil but there is a reason why most of us in Ireland don’t trust them. Politicians, like everyone else, would prefer us to believe their version of the truth but if we want to be informed and informed effectively then we need to stop believing them. We should ask our politicians how they intend to stop drugs from entering their country and what they plan to do about the homeless. We should ask them questions about the laws they are planning to pass and whether or not these laws will be fair for all citizens. If we are being led by a politician who believes that he is good enough then we can make sure that he votes with his conscience on legislation (see ‘legislation’ above).
