I’ve come to an unhappy conclusion:
So long as we fail to punish politicians who make false assurances to gain position and promptly abandon them upon achieving success, we will continue to get that kind of politician over and over again. Ultimately, there is no merit in voting for such politicians since we have no assurance that they will deliver on anything they say. Conversely, there is much merit in ensuring their defeat.
To put it another way: If our electoral choice is between two Leaders who both share the same policies, there is advantage in electing the one who has at least been honest about these policies rather than the one whose word means nothing.
Consequently, except where there is a local candidate who can be trusted, we should work to ensure defeat of Parties led by such politicians. That means voting for whatever other Party can defeat a dishonest Leader’s candidate.
Unless we do this, we have no hope whatsoever as citizens that democracy will produce accountable Governments. Voter turnout will continue to plummet with the realization that voting is ineffective in achieving good policy.
However, if we succeed in defeating such Leaders, we will at least have the hope that they will be turfed and their successor will have learned the value of honesty! Also, in the best of worlds, the Government we elect with poor policies will be a short-lived minority that the next (honest) leader with good policies can defeat.
This should be our approach with politician who has demonstrated duplicity. It’s sad when we are reduced to such a reality, but there it is.
STEPHEN WOODWORTH