There are so many unfair takes against politicians these days it’s hard to tell who is actually right anymore.
It’s good people are holding them up to a high standard (elections are regularly presented as choosing the lesser of evils) but when all of them seem to be getting killed it makes you wonder if it’s just the nature of the beast. Especially in the west.
The few who have gotten praise (South Korea) were the ones that were more likely to ignore WHO and bypass other typical established political processes, allowing them to react quickly - and are by far the rare exceptions, not the rule.
‘Government’ and ‘moving quickly’ are rarely things you see in the same sentence in normal times, nor would ‘good’ politicians typically be defined as the ones who ignore the recommendations of international organizations, but yet it’s something everyone thinks can immediately be fixed on demand like flipping a switch.
> There are so many unfair takes against politicians these days it’s hard to tell who is actually right anymore.
Here is a handy guide:
- If they are angry at the media, they are confused and should be muzzled for a time
- If they are exercising insider trading, they should be removed from office
- If they are coordinating and appear to be going to too much of an extreme regarding lockdown and response, they are actually well informed and should be granted additional responsibility and leadership, if capable
- If they are offering help to business but not individuals, they should be muzzled for the extent of the crisis and not allowed to submit amendments or legislation
- If they are deliberately slowing down responses, they should be muzzled for the extent of the crisis and their decision powers be given to their deputies
- If they are ensuring the public nothing is wrong they are incorrect and should be muzzled for the extend of their crisis, and their decision and executive powers given to their deputies.
These heuristics would ensure incompetence is kept in its place -- away from the lives and livelihoods of individuals, and ideally removed from office during the next election cycle as incompetent politicians have no business executing the will of their constituents during wartime or peacetime.
It’s good people are holding them up to a high standard (elections are regularly presented as choosing the lesser of evils) but when all of them seem to be getting killed it makes you wonder if it’s just the nature of the beast. Especially in the west.
The few who have gotten praise (South Korea) were the ones that were more likely to ignore WHO and bypass other typical established political processes, allowing them to react quickly - and are by far the rare exceptions, not the rule.
‘Government’ and ‘moving quickly’ are rarely things you see in the same sentence in normal times, nor would ‘good’ politicians typically be defined as the ones who ignore the recommendations of international organizations, but yet it’s something everyone thinks can immediately be fixed on demand like flipping a switch.