Politicians Reflect US

Yes they do. I was reminded of that fact after writing yesterday’s blog—which attempted to answer all the people out there who consider the men and women who actually govern this nation to be “blood sucking parasites”.
Democracy—and, admittedly, its attendant woes of political maneuver, shenanigans and outright corruption—cannot long exist without a fundamentally responsible citizenry to vote and be governed. Take that out of the equation and democracy collapses.
Remember, politicians are drawn from the body of citizens whom they govern. They are nothing more than you or me elected to public office. When we look at George Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter or Barack Obama, we are looking at ourselves. What we choose—be it clothing, movies, friends or politicians--reflects on us. We are what we eat—we are what we choose.
Their morals are our morals. Their corrupt behavior is our behavior. If they are wasteful and greedy, they mirror the rest of us. (Maybe that’s why we get so angry with them—few people like what they see in a looking glass.)
If there is a scoundrel in Congress—who elected him or her? He was your neighbor when you voted for him; he still is. Democracy is absolutely premised on the existence of a responsible and ethical citizenry. Civic virtue—or wickedness—does not originate in government—but rather among the governed.
Yes, democracies can fold up and collapse. When there is a failure of virtue in the people, they must be governed more harshly than democracy will permit. An unbridled populace cannot be permitted to make its own rules to suit its own whims. That way, as history so amply shows us, lies chaos, evil choices and, finally, death.
If the governors have become unbridled and dangerously whimsical (“blood sucking parasites”), whom then do they reflect? If our politicians have indeed become unethical and irresponsible, it is a fair question to ask: How close are we to collapse?
Rome lost its Republic in bloodshed and murder. France lost its Republic (more than once) in street riots and tyranny. Weimar Germany collapsed into Naziism. Russia’s Kerensky was replaced with Lenin and Stalin—millions on millions died. There is always a man on a horse willing to ride to the rescue of citizens grown desperate in the face of a corrupt and ineffectual government.
If we really feel that our government and those we elect to rule us are as bad as many of us say they are, it is high time to straighten ourselves up and restore civic virtue—not just to Washington but to our own lives. In any case, it cannot hurt.
Next time we want to castigate our politicians, let’s first ask—Is it really true? Are they that evil or do they merely espouse policies we don’t favor? Policy difference is not a sin. Convince enough folk to see matters your way and vote the other side out.
Beware of painting the opposition—or even all of government—with the tar brush of parasitism or sinfulness. The last time we tarred an opposition that way (both sides did it), it cost us 700,000 dead out of a population of less than 100,000,000 at places like Gettysburg and Shiloh.
When you hear the old doggerel, “Here, richly with ridiculous display, the politician's corpse was laid away. While others sneered and slanged, I wept. For I longed to see him hanged.”—just remember one thing.
It’s us in the coffin.