Best News & Politics

Civility in Politics

Not long ago, one Washington politician looked at another Washington politician and called him a liar. Why is that news to me? Weren’t their lips moving? As the saying goes, it takes one to know one. Yes, it was rude to interrupt the man’s speech, but an apology was made and accepted. Politicians referring to each other as other liars is hardly a phenomenon. For instance, finish this sentence: Bush lied, people _ _ _ _. Remember that one?

Personally, I prefer that politicians express anger with one another. When our political heroes from the two major parties are going at each others’ throats, I know that they are currently too distracted to be stealing from me. When we see them posing for pictures smiling, holding hands and slapping each other on the back, what do you think just happened? And who do you think will be paying for it? As I explained in my book “7 Life Lessons You Should Know,” professional politicians are not in the problem-solving business.

And while we are on the subject of political parties, I don’t particularly care for the animals that have been chosen to represent the major parties. Here is a brief run-down of the history of these two symbols:

The Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson’s 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents referred to him as a derogatory slang expression for a donkey and Jackson defiantly chose to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. The image of the donkey was later used in newspaper cartoons by Thomas Nast and the symbol became famous.

Nast was also responsible for inventing another famous political symbol - the Republican elephant. In 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in a lion’s skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the elephant, was labeled “The Republican Vote.” From that point on the elephant became associated with the Republican Party. Democrats say the donkey is smart and brave while Republicans suggest that the elephant is strong and dignified.

A donkey and an elephant. The entire political process has been turned into a zoo. We have entered the new millennium and I think it is time for an update. The two major political parties have gone through numerous changes since those symbols were introduced in the 19th century so perhaps now is the time for them to be revised as well. I would prefer to see a mongoose and a cobra replace the old world trademarks. It doesn’t really matter which party gets what symbol. A snake and a weasel seem to be much more appropriate for today’s political environment. Throw a hundred of those into the senate chamber and stand back. Now that’s politics that can keep my interest.

Civility in politics. Who needs it?

Todd Lester’s career has spanned across many years and numerous industries. He has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and licensed to sell investments and insurance, worked as a retail manager, turned wrenches as an automotive mechanic, served cubicle time as an office manager and even owned his own business for many years restoring car interiors. And that is just since graduating college with a Finance degree. During much of this time, he was also a citizen soldier, serving twenty one years in the Army National Guards of both Louisiana and Texas as an Army bandsman. He has even performed as a clown with the Shrine Circus.