Dear Dirty America

MICHAEL J BLAIR
Perthshire, Scotland

Over the years, especially the last twenty, I have had dealings with a few politicians, on a number of personal issues. While they have access to the levers of some power, there is surprisingly little they can actually do to help.

They are at their most helpful when a newspaper or better still, a television news reporter is going to be covering the story. Promises are made and serious faces are put on rapidly. So as long as you can keep the media interested in whatever your situation is, the politicians will be very helpful.

Once the hoo-ha dies down, and the media have moved on to something more interesting, the politicians will melt away like snow off a dyke! (Scottish for wall, not what you were thinking.)

So when I see people practically drooling over the likes of Donald Trump, Jeremy Corbyn or Hillary Clinton, I despair. These people, regardless of what they say and promise, are in politics for themselves. I have no doubt that in the beginning, a few of them did have altruistic aims, but as they climb the greasy pole of political ambition, they are only looking at ways of making themselves look great.

In my opinion, they are about as much use as a pair of serpent’s pants!

They have inflated ideas of their own importance and love to tell people who they are and what they do. Or at least they did. It’s more likely now, that they will keep that information to themselves. With their professional reputation at an all time low, they should!

In the past, people who became politicians did so after a career in some other sphere, but now most of them come straight from university to become aides or special advisors to an established politician. The other route is from local politicians who have kissed enough party arses to be put forward as a candidate for a safe constituency.

Either way, it’s not a good way of selecting public representatives. We get career politicians with no experience or idea of life outside of the political bubble, or ex local politicians who are only ambitious in making money from the state.

There was a time when most politicians were held in high regard and respect, but that was probably only because we didn’t hear of their dirty deeds and crooked schemes. They could have been rolling around in mud pits, wearing tutus, with warthogs and we would never have known.

The advent of 24 hour news channels and the internet have made it easier to find out about what sexual improprieties and financial scams are taking place. In the past, if a politician was caught with their pants down, or had been caught taking bribes, they did the honourable thing and resigned in disgrace!

There is of course no honour among these thieves. Nothing, short of murder seems to make them consider resignation. People don’t appear to clamour for their swollen heads to roll. This current election has shown just how far our thresholds and tolerance have moved within the last couple of decades.

Presidents cheat on their wives and countries. Wives forgive in the name of future power. Candidates boast about sexual conquests in the grossest terms, and not even the straight laced, anally retentive, Bible belt Republican redneck loonies turn a hair!

Oh they forgive. But only if it’s in their best interests!

The hypocrisy in this presidential election has been astounding and breathtaking! The sheer arrogance of the candidates and their supporters is astonishing!

I hope the American public can see what we outsiders have seen. It’s not a good advertisement for US politics or the country in general!

PS, not that our lot are any better. But you already know what I think of them!

PPS, never idolise a politician!

Follow The Party of Common Sense on Twitter, at @tpocs

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[GOP circus car caricature courtesy of DonkeyHotey, Wikimedia Commons]