"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Saturday 19 February 2011

Political Soliloquy

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Once More With Feeling and For The Last Time":

Chris, how long have you kept those three gems on the shelf waiting for an opportunity to craft them into one sentence.

Brilliant!

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I contemplated the above comment for a bit before  publishing, copying and pasting.  On the face of it, it seems civil even complimentary. As a politician, I think not. I publish it to make a point.

This  blog is mine.  My name is clear and identifiable. I write the posts. I  try to discern between  comments having no other purpose than personal abuse.  I do not shy away from critical observations.

I am a practising politician and  I express my views without fear or favour. It's how I believe a politician should be. I exult in the opportunity blog provides to express a view with all  the space needed to elaborate for clear understanding.

I recognise  more than one way to view a situation. It is not an  available luxury. The  imperative for a politician,when it comes time to vote is to choose . He/she  is judged by the choice.  I am content.

There is verbiage  galore  for newly elected councillors. Training courses as well. They reflect  all the displaced public servants resulting from  urbanisation and the  amalgamation of various municipalities around the province.Newly elected politicians are deluged  with  influence from the  administrative aspect of municipal operations.

In a small way I hope this Blog is  countervailing  the prevailing influence.

Our off-site orientation in January  was 100%   ADMINISTRATIVE influence.It was only useful as far as it went.

Team spirit is much vaunted within a council. It's an oxymoron. Each Councillor  is  independent and in competition. A good working relationship with  trust and integrity are important. Equally important is knowing, in municipal politics, one is on one's own.

Surrender one's ideas, except in political debate and  identity disappears into the amalgam.

Confide  a  strategy, it  will  likely  be stolen

There is honour among thieves, you just have to know where and to what extent  and not be disappointed if it's not where and what you thought.

Gifts generously presented are not necessarily returned. Don't expect it.

So, returning to the comment, in response to Chris Watt's comment on my post Once  More With Feeling., cut and pasted at the top, it sounds complimentary. As I  said, I don't believe it is.

I think it is phrased to get past my rule against  nasties.

Chris Watts does not need me to defend him. He is ready for whatever comes. But he doesn't need me either, to provide  anonymous critics with a venue, at no expense whatsoever to themselves. It will be the last.

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