Well, I'm finally Out from Under. Last night I completed a letter to the Toronto Star that I hope they'll publish as a commentary. It's 1,059 words and it looks like I might have cranked it out in an hour tops.
But the thing took me at least two weeks of angst-pondering and these last few days I began and then abandoned three drafts before settling in on what really needed saying. Since I started this citizen's Blog, I've concluded it's much easier being a Jon (note spelling) Stewart than an Edward R. Murrow.
Only after my commentary was sent off did I feel that I'd finally fulfilled my obligations to Mr. Antonio Batista. I'm now free to read other's people's writings. This morning, by coincidence I found a commentary in The Star that echoed the gist of what I'd just zipped off to Toronto late last night.
This commentary, written by Duff Conacher of Democracy Watch is about Hypocrisy in our Democracy and the depths to which we've allowed our politicians to plunge. Yes, "we" --because ultimately we --the citizens,-- are to blame.
And we're failing the Future.
I'm reproducing Mr. Conacher's commentary here because it's an important read. Good on Torstar for publishing this piece from Democracy Watch.
Let's outlaw dishonesty in politics
Jul 25, 2007 04:30 AM
Duff Conacher
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Canadian politicians of all types have broken election promises and, along with government officials, misled the public in between elections.
Given the number of people hurt by this dishonesty, you would think that passing laws requiring honesty in politics would be a priority.
After all, politicians have passed laws requiring Canadians to be honest. From welfare applicants to taxpayers to corporate executives, it is illegal for Canadians to lie, and high penalties are in place to discourage dishonesty.
A few ridiculous reasons are usually given for not requiring honesty in politics and not penalizing those who mislead.
Some say that when candidates make promises, they don't know what changes might occur if they win and, therefore, shouldn't be penalized if they break promises. The simple solution is for candidates to make promises that honestly set out the circumstances under which they would change direction (instead of the usually dishonest ironclad promises they currently make).
In any case, politicians could be allowed to cite truly unforeseeable changes as a justifiable reason for breaking a promise.
Some say that politicians do face a penalty for breaking promises – the penalty of losing the next election. However, promise-breaking politicians often don't lose the next election, especially when their broken promise only affects a minority of the population.
While it may be that, as in war, the first casualty of politics is truth, very likely fewer politicians and government officials would be dishonest if they faced significant penalties
If honesty-in-politics laws gave the public the right to complain to watchdog agencies, and the agencies the power to dismiss frivolous complaints and to penalize misleaders only with high fines, even if complaints were numerous they could be dealt with fairly quickly, easily and inexpensively.
Finally, some make the patronizing claim that politicians and officials can't always be honest because the public couldn't handle the truth. This undemocratic viewpoint assumes that politicians have (for some unstated reason) some special mental capacity that allows them to be exposed to reality.
Those defending politicians switching parties in between elections give similarly dubious reasons why his type of dishonesty should be allowed.
Anyone making these highly questionable excuses should realize that no matter how closely voters study and compare candidate or party platforms and statements, if they are untrue voters cannot make a choice.
So, this summer tell your municipal, provincial and federal politicians that you want them to pass a law giving the public an easy, low-cost way to file complaints about broken promises, party-switching, and false claims, with high penalties for violations, and do the same with candidates in every election.
To be honest, you may not like the answer you receive. But you will find out which of them want to make politics an honest living, and which are leaders as opposed to misleaders.
And, if we're all lucky, that will eventually lead to a critical mass of politicians across Canada finally respecting voters' wishes and rights, and passing the strong, strict honesty-in-politics laws all Canadians deserve.
Duff Conacher is the co-ordinator of Democracy Watch, a government accountability and corporate responsibility advocacy group.
Duff Conacher Democracy Watch
Picture Credit: Canada.com
Signed,
The Mississauga Muse
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"Edward R. Murrow --My Hero". To Go Directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)
"Mississauga Saga". To Go Directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)
"A Flag named The Andre Marin". To Go Directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)
All "Antonio Batista Pothole Poet Trial" Blog entries:
THEIR MISSISSAUGA, yes, and ever increasingly --THEIR MISSISSAUGA (May 27, 2007)
Hypocrisy Democracy (May 28, 2007 7:27 am)
"What would Edward R. Murrow do? What would he want me to do?" (May 28, 2007 11:55 pm)
"We have to send a message to the public" Crown Attorney. (May 29, 2007 2:51 PM)
A pothole never loomed so large (John Stewart's "Random Access") (May 30, 2007)
"The government must not silence its critics by force." ---Clayton Ruby (May 29, 2007) (May 31, 2007)
"She does not think how you feel" Antonio Batista (June 4, 2007)
"Mrs. McCALLION what is wrong with the City of Mississauga?" (Antonio Batista) (June 5, 2007)
"Reasonable Person Test" --Crown Witness (June 6, 2007)
And I bet you thought that I'd forgotten about Antonio Batista, huh? (July 16, 2007)
On the nature of "accountable" "accountability" (July 18, 2007)
The Mississauga PotHole Trial --more insight from Freedom of Information results (July 19, 2007)
Bottom of The Bucket. Are we there yet? (July 24, 2007)
"We must employ every possible tactic to dissuade those who try to silence us with fear"
---The Mississauga News Editorial (2007-03-24)
Click here for John Stewart's Blog
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