I’m pretty naive when it comes to politics, and I’d have to say, I’ve chosen that ignorance much of the way, and I don’t mind it.

Politics, in a classical sense, is the art of distributing power, and perhaps in a purer day, politicians were considered icons in some societies because they truly wrangled with one another to come up with honorable decisions for their citizens. Being able to persuade and influence others to make certain decisions is a great skill, and for some politicians, a great gift. But being a great persuader does not necessarily make a man or a woman a great politician. It’s what they are trying to persuade others “to” is what should really matter.

Which is where most politicians end up turning off and failing regular folks.
Peddling promises and representing themselves as change, hope, and a difference, most politicians, once in office, embrace the power part and forget the people they say they will serve. Power becomes the thing that is really sought by most politicians- especially, the career ones- because power is the thing when principle doesn’t matter, and headlines, self-justifications and credentialing are the only metrics used for evaluation by the political person- not actually bringing real change into the lives of those constituents who really need it most. The position is to be held at all costs, because the position comes with a perception (at least within the eyes of those also walking in those hallowed halls of power, where power is given and power is taken away), and licenses, and exceptions, and generous financing (largely self-defined, but footed by the people).

Power is the thing, when principles don’t matter any more.

And when you are not one in the hallowed halls, you can choose a side and get all amped for your players, but so often in the process, you buy spin. You harden into party prejudices and party lines and embrace gross generalizations that perhaps mischaracterize those who look kind of like someone from the “other side”, and soon they become “just one of them”, the enemy, unacceptable, inhuman, demonized, a source of every ill in this city/county/state/country. And how people like their spin, being fed by biased media machines that distribute scandalous outrages and egregious crimes against humanity by human beings from the other side.

And the human part is crushed out of that person who is part of “the other” in the process.

Leaders and governors are necessary in this world, at every level. Power is necessary to help people progress and prosper on this planet. But power unguided by principle will inevitably lead people into disagreement, conflict, dehumanization, and destruction, because power must be ruled by justice. Without justice legitimizing and balancing power, political activities devolve into tribal and sectarian squabbles. The good of the whole doesn’t really matter any more.

And so I will probably never sit comfortably in the regale of a card carrying, party pushing liberal or conservative. I want to stand up for my nation. I want to support the candidate who I think really cares and seems to share my values and wants to serve those who vote for him or her, despite his or her party affiliation. Someone who really demonstrates themselves as a public servant.

That candidate seems hard to find these days, when politics is about power playing, not public serving.

But that’s me. Naive guy.