a column written for my website

[shadowknows69]

The Truth You Can't Handle
by Dissident


Political embarrassment and the accountability factor

Is anyone else completely sick of politicians? Recent years seem to have increased the likelihood of political scandal in our elected offices by a factor of 10. From big daddy Watergate to Iran/Contra, Whitewater, Monica gate, Abu Ghraib and the downing street minutes (www.downingstreetmemo.com in case you haven't heard of it, and with the job the media is doing lately I'm sure you haven't) it seems like getting your hands dirty in some shady scheme is some twisted pre-requesite to being an elected leader in this day and age. Why as a country do we consistently elect people that apparently shouldn't be trusted to watch your wallet for five minutes much less lead a nation or a city? Maybe I hold an antiquated view of my leaders. I expect them to be honest, at least as intelligent as your average American, well spoken and not driven to passionate decisions that:
A) Rob the people they are supposed to serve
B) Lie to the people they are supposed to serve
C) Embarrass the people they are supposed to serve or...
D) Send the people they are supposed to serve away to wasteful wars to die.

What astounds me even more is when we actually catch them doing one of these things there is little to no accountability because all it takes to sweep it under the rug these days are a few well placed spin doctors. God forbid the press should actually do the job Woodward and Bernstein did so many years ago. I can only hope that with the emergence of the iconic Deep Throat it will shame someone into actually using our free press for the purpose it was intended. To bring truths, that some might want hidden, to the public so they can make informed decisions about their futures. Where is the outrage fellow citizens? Where is the accountability? We can't even get our current President to answer questions at one of his rare press conferences. Even when a reporter does rediscover his/her balls enough to ask an important question, President Bush just smirks like the cat who ate the canary and spews forth the predetermined talking points whether they have anything to do with the question at hand or not. I'd just as soon have Scott Mckellan prop up a Bush cardboard cutout and play a cassette tape because whenever I see the smirk it moves me to physical nausea.

Why can't you people just fly right and be honest. We expected that of you when we hired you. If you don't fit the job description don't fill out the damn application in the first place. At the very least put on the application that you are a thief, liar or warmonger. If you still have good SAT scores we might still take you. Besides as we've seen recently in our own city with the "foster parent who was a sex offender" fiasco sometimes even when things ARE written on an application they can be conveniently ignored.

Solutions? Simple. To steal a page from "The Donald" YOU'RE FREAKING FIRED!

If you lie to a country to take them to invade a country that lines the pockets of your corporate friends with war profits. YOU'RE FIRED!

If you get oral sex from an intern while on the phone to Senators and then lie about it. YOU'RE FIRED! GET YOUR ROCKS OFF ON YOUR OWN TIME.

If you botch said war every step of the way and dare the enemy to kill our men. YOU'RE FIRED!

If your VP's former company is not only reaping war profits but also gouging prices on those war profits. YOU'RE BOTH FIRED!

If you engage in activites outside your poilitical duties that are shady and get caught thereby distracting from the business of the business you we're elected to do. YOU'RE FIRED!

If you have information concerning likely terrorist attacks on our skyscrapers and go on vacation instead of mobilizing every possible resource to stop it. YOU'RE FIRED AND YOU HELPED TO KILL 3,000 PEOPLE, SLEEP WELL.

If you are responisble for the safety of children and you allow someone who may be a danger to those children to care for them. YOU'RE FIRED.

If you rail and rage against gay marriage and gay rights and then are discovered to be gay. YOU'RE FIRED AND YOU'RE A HYPOCRITE!

If you sign the Geneva Convention and then have your subordinates tortue and kill prisoners of war. YOU'RE FIRED AND YOU'RE GETTING OUR TROOPS KILLED!. SLEEP WELL.

No impeachment process, no waiting for the next election. Just clear out your desk, here's some severance pay and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Sadly I could go on and on and these are only the contemporary examples. When will it stop people? When will we finally get smart and stop hiring politicians to do politics. They don't do it very well lately do they? I want Will Rogers as my President. I want Maya Angelou. I want Ghandi. I want my favorite english teacher from high school. Hell, I'll take my garbage man. At least I know he appreciates a hard day's work.
No more liars, thieves and killers. This great country deserves greater things than we've been giving it lately. We are still We the people aren't we? Demand accountability. Demand they attend to the jobs they we're hired for. Demand honesty. The price of silence is our freedoms and our place in the global community. Ignore me at your peril.
Dissident out.