I understand politics.  I do.   And I understand integrity.  I do.

But for the sake of being absolutely clear , here are brief definitions :  integrity is honesty, pure and simple ; politics is more complicated : groups  ( often government ) with a mission and power.  Hence, the two often conflict !

And to be perfectly transparent , I am a non-partisan moderate independent who has never , in all of my voting history, voted a straight party ticket.  I make every effort to review the issues, research the candidates, and base my vote on integrity, whatever the party line.  On occasion I write in if the choices are unacceptable.

I also believe, with all my heart, that most of our elected officials are honest, dedicated, and sincere in their role , regardless of the agendas . It is not easy to serve other people.  Been there and done that.

And I get the critical role that politics plays in the workings of our state and nation.  I even observe it on the local level although the reasoning there is generally more transparent, making it easier to understand and digest.

Politics actually boils down to this :  YOU GIVE SOME TO GET SOME.  That simple——-and that complicated.

My daddy was involved in politics behind the scenes all my growing-up years.  He never ran for an office, but he was a mover and shaker back in the Talmadge days in Georgia and continuing through the Vandiver tenure .

I remember all the phone calls, all the evening visits, all the trips to Atlanta, and all the letters that outlined issues, challenges, solutions, and strategy.  I have seen him leave the dinner table following a telephone conversation only to return hours later.  And I still have some of the correspondence.

I grew up in a political world………….

But I NEVER saw , nor felt , that politics ( that I had PERSONAL knowledge of  ) was more important than integrity, in any election ,  local or state .  I know I was young  , and perhaps naive ,  but it was always presented as a competition, a race for the candidate or issue of one’s choice, a challenge for the best team to win,  honestly and without angst.  At the very least, these were my lessons from those whose opinions were valued.

Don’t get me wrong.  There were flaws, many flaws.

I remember that Georgia had two governors at one time, through some crazy screw-up.

And I remember my daddy saying that votes could be bought with a pint of liquor and a ride to the polls.

And I remember the Governor before Ernest Vandiver whose morals and ethics were questionable.

But these were isolated as were others throughout my history.

We are in the midst of a conflict between integrity and politics which is not only demeaning but dangerous. And when I say , “We ” , I mean ALL of us , voters and politicians alike !   We have resorted to name-calling , personal insults , mixing facts with opinions without defining , undermining , blaming , outright lying , and taking advantage of the vulnerable and the gullible.  We have lost our course !

Much of the culture is a result of social media and cable news.  Social media opens door for anonymous posts, rumors, and unfounded prejudices, many that are dangerous.   Cable news has created a competition for being first with any news, true or not true.  And it has carried over to mainstream news sources.  Both have birthed a citizenry of believing anything, anytime, so long as it is written or spoken.  A truly sad and scary time ……………………

I want to end on this note :  I love my community, my state, and my nation.  I have no allegiance to any political party.  I don’t need or want labels.

What I do want is a thinking constituency ,  one that looks further, ponders more deeply,  sees the bad and the good in any and all agendas , considers unintended consequences ——and votes accordingly.

As stated earlier, politics is giving a little to get a little——-and so is voting !

 

 

 

 

 

Post Views: 567