The other day I heard a politician say to his rival, "If you'll stop telling lies about me, I'll stop telling the truth about you."
I don't know about you, but some of the folks at my last Rotary meeting were saying they are getting really tired of the way politics have drifted. The political season is interminable, kinda like the battle of the sexes. When one of the couple insists on getting in the last word, the next word after that is the beginning of a new argument.
We have always known about political liars — that issue started with the opening speech of the first campaign in which Cain and Abel were running for "Favorite Son" status. You know how that started and how it ended.
Our campaign season that started with FDR in the early 1930s is still in full swing. The hard part for me is to believe there are indeed people who will vote for folks they know to be dedicated liars ... twice, for that matter. (Or, as in Chicago: Twenty times, sometimes even after those voters have been pushing up daisies for two political terms.)
One big Hollywood political donor stopped contributing to a campaign a while back just because his candidate was able to come up with one bald-faced lie after another so blatantly, it was an embarrassment. It's kinda like saying, "I don't mind you having b.o., but when it burns my eyes, that's too much."
Nowadays, cronyism has become a really big part of the campaign season (which is fully as long as a term of the office in question). There is no lie too obvious to not pass along if the top liar said it first. It was kind of like having one speaker stumble onto a new word and then have the rest of the flock repeat it interminably; the word "gravitas" springs to mind. Even such brilliant politicians as Barbie Boxer were slinging it around thinking it meant "Dick Cheney."
I thought I would Google "honest politicians" and my computer caught fire. (Just kidding, but it seemed too hot to touch nonetheless.)
The political "honesty" favorites seem to still be George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. I will admit, when I did put in the names on the computer of some politicos, I swear I heard a satirical chuckle come out of the computer speakers ... in stereo.
I looked up some of the major contemporary culprits and feel loathe to tell you who some of the worst ones are. We had a congressman, John Baldwin in Rio Vista in the '50s, who had a perfect attendance record. At the same time, New York had good old Adam Clayton Powell, who also had a perfect record — he was never there.
There are two ways to look at that. If they are not there, they are not spending money — and that can be a very good thing.
The California Legislature has initiated an interesting phenomenon. If you note some of the bills our present group is passing, and you walk through a cemetery where some of our former solons are buried using your smartphone, you can hear a whirring sound emanating out of the ground as they spin in their graves. They used to simply turn over, but them days are over.
Years ago, a nationwide survey was taken to determine what the least-respected professions were. Not much has changed, since right now the least-revered are used car salesmen and politicians. Congress has a 4 percent rating in some surveys. The word is, "Yes, I know he's a (blankity-blank), but he's our (blankity-blank)." (Sorry about mentioning the used car salesmen in this connection; I didn't mean to sully their reputations.)
Of the dumbest things we, the public, ever did was give the politicians two gigantic things: Too much power, and the keys to the treasury. Since there is a history with politicians that goes back to beginning of politics, we shoulda known better. Even Aristotle felt sick to his stomach over that issue.
Putting a fox in charge of the hen house will eventually lead to a shortage of eggs. There has never been an egg shortage of today's magnitude. We haven't enough eggs for a plain cheese omelet.
Bob Bader is responsible for this article. He can be reached at bobbyo@softcom.net.
Darrell Baumbach posted at 6:04 pm on Wed, Oct 24, 2012.
Mr Kinderman stated…I believe Mr. Baumbach was only attempting a light-hearted way to assist all of us to not make such errors...
Mr. Kinderman is very perceptive. I have for quite some time been attempting to help Ms. Bobin overcome her propensity to viciously attack and distort the intent of what people post. She has so many times ridiculed the good people of Lodi by claiming over and over again that she sees bigots around every corner and even at Star Bucks as she sips her coffee.
She appears to be very clever with words and many times misrepresents the intent of what others say. Her constant belittling of others is a daily event. She now is walking back her inappropriate comment about Ms. Boxer. It is possible that she is sincere when she claims she stated "her Christian name," which is a very common way of saying "given name." and that it had nothing to do with saying she is Christian.
However, it is more likely that Ms. Bobin, as Mr. Kinderman pointed out, meant something negative. "...In a multicultural society the old-fashioned term “Christian name” (for “given name”) is both inaccurate and offensive."
Jerome Kinderman posted at 2:31 pm on Wed, Oct 24, 2012.
I believe Mr. Baumbach was only attempting a light-hearted way to assist all of us to not make such errors. This from “Common Errors in English Usage” (http://tinyurl.com/98pt5ho): "...In a multicultural society the old-fashioned term “Christian name” (for “given name”) is both inaccurate and offensive."
I would think a little more research might be in order for all of before embarrassing ourselves with such faux pas.
I've certainly learned something valuable.
Joanne Bobin posted at 1:05 pm on Wed, Oct 24, 2012.
Derogatory? I stated, "self-proclaimed." If one refers to oneself in a particular manner, why should repeating that be derogatory? Don't use it if you don't want to be called that. That would be the best solution.
Joanne Bobin posted at 1:01 pm on Wed, Oct 24, 2012.
Mr. Baumbach wrote: "They were offended that Ms Bobin accused her of being Christian... I think we have another Tina Fey moment... great job Ms Bobin! "
Once again Mr. Baumbach has trouble with reading comprehension - I stated "her Christian name," which is a very common way of saying "given name." Has nothing to do with saying she is Christian, but if you think you are so clever, have at it.
By the way, Barbara is Greek in origin and widely used by Roman Catholics and the Greek Orthodox branch. Do you ALSO want to take it up with her parents for naming her something NOT out of the Old Testament?
But then, as a self-proclaimed non-Christian, non-religious person, you wouldn't know a Biblical name if it hit you over the head.
Doug Chaney posted at 11:17 am on Wed, Oct 24, 2012.
The bottom line is, Mr. Bader, these corrupted political hacks make their own rules, so why do you think they keep themselves out of prison? Pretty simple, huh? Like a squarehead from North Dakota.
Ted Lauchland posted at 10:38 am on Wed, Oct 24, 2012.
Pardon my typo Mr. Bader.
Ted Lauchland posted at 10:32 am on Wed, Oct 24, 2012.
I will not contest the freedom of speech issue going on here but will address the fact that the words used can be hurtful and damaging as fingers point back and forth. I do have a question for Ms. Bobin however. Working off emotions sometimes are productive but can be counter productive as well.
I thought the issue of the German referances had been settled. Why can you use it in a derogatory manor and Mr. Bador cannot mention it at all even though his intentions were not negative at any time. Do as I say and not as I do ?
Darrell Baumbach posted at 4:16 pm on Tue, Oct 23, 2012.
Ms Bobin stated...calling her "Barbie" rather than her proper Christian name
I immedicately contacted Ms Boxer's office to confirm she was correct.. Unfortunately, her staff was very upset with Ms Bobin.....
Jewish Members of Congress: #1 on the list Barbara Boxer (Senator, California)
They were offended that Ms Bobin accused her of being Christian... I think we have another Tina Fey moment... great job Ms Bobin![lol]
Joanne Bobin posted at 11:56 am on Tue, Oct 23, 2012.
Why am I not surprised that this self-proclaimed "squarehead" has called out, by name, only two politicians: An African American and a woman - stating the first "never was there," and demeaning the second by calling her "Barbie" rather than her proper Christian name.
Shame on you, "Doctor" Bader!
And perhaps you should do a little more reading about Abraham Lincoln. Yes, he accomplished amazing things, but what he had to do to get support for the 13th Amendment was not exactly "honest." Only George Walker Bush promised more individuals special favors and appointments during the RNC in 2000 than Abraham Lincoln did to get the votes he needed.