The Politicians we Deserve

This post is a response to theglobeandmail.com Round Table Discussion about Politicians


Catherine Wilkie from Canada writes: Canadians deserve better politicians.



It has been said that the public gets the government it deserves.

Don't blame the Politicians Catherine.

Catherine may be right, that Canadians deserve better politicians, but Canadian voters are also the reason we don't get them.

As the Round Table guests pointed out, politicians get into trouble for speaking the truth at inconvenient times.

An informed, reasonable voter surely would conclude it is completely appropriate for a politician to suggest we might have to pay more taxes to deal with the looming deficits to come. But you wont find any politician saying they will raise taxes any time soon because they would be vilified by the "deserving" public if they did. Look what happened to Dalton Mcguinty when he raised taxes in order to meet the health care promises he made. Sure he said he wouldn't but things change.

Catherine, don't kid yourself. The public is self interested and unsympathetic. We are only willing to do things that don't require much sacrifice on our part. We say sure raise taxes, on the other guy. Don't use my money to bail out those lazy, over paid auto workers. Save the environment, just so long as I dont have to pay more for gas or change my standard of living. You guys better improve health care and transportation, just so long as it does not cost me any more money.

With all the conflicting messages the public gives politicians, it is a wonder they get anything done at all. The arrogance and self interest of the populations of 1st world countries is the reason we have the political systems we do.

When we the people are prepared to do more, share more, give more, we will get a political system that allows politicians to say more, help more and inspire us as a country to act in the best interests of not only Canadians, but everyone on the planet.

Only then will we get a government we not only deserve but one we respect.