|The South Marysburgh Mirror 5) MY TAKE ON POLITICS I read a telling statistic the other day in an article about the “ethics deficit.” I know this sounds boring, but keep with me at least until the end of this paragraph. The Manning Centre for Building Democracy conducted a poll before a municipal election. The question was straightforward. “Did you vote in the last municipal election?” Twice as many respondents answered “yes” as had actually voted. I don’t know why one would lie ina simple poll, but one of two people did. Manning concludes, “We should not complain if half the people elected to city council turned out to be liars, since they would simply be representing their constituents.” Now [ hardly think our elected municipal councilors are liars. They are making the best judgments they can, balancing financial constraints, laws, and the information available to them. I realize the voting public has differing views on sewage treatment, water treatment, wind turbines, new premises for city hall, zoning, severances, taxes, property assessments, road maintenance, the spreading of sludge, use of pesticides, and a host of other things. Probably about forty percent of the electorate think any given decision is right, forty per cent think it is wrong, and twenty percent couldn‘t give a rats rump what happens. So, what’s wrong with this picture? I think what’s wrong is that, when a decision is made in council, the forty percent who believe the decision was wrong blame the outcome on bizarre conspiracy theories or the fundamental ignorance of councilors. The twenty percent who didn’t care somehow agree with them. So, sixty percent of the electorate disagree with any decision. Clearly, if the vote doesn’t go your way, then it’s not simply a difference of opinion, it’s a personal affront that cannot be tolerated or understood. I would challenge those who write the papers complaining that council is a bunch of lazy and uninformed dolts to run for council. In that way, there will be, at least in their view, one councilor who is a model of integrity and intelligence. But you know and I know, they will not run for office and risk the possibility of winning. Our provincial and federal politicians perform on a whole different stage, with scandals and vituperation at a whole different and more elevated level. There’s a guy named Fred Thompson who plays the District Attomey on Law and Order. I wonder what function he performs in this TV program? As far as I can see, he only critiques the actions of the people who work for him. Anyway, he’s now aU‘S. Senator and a presidential candidate. I think I like him because he is reported to have said, “I’ve got a lot to learn about Washington. Why yesterday I accidentally spent some of my own money.” Our politicians would not make that mistake. I made the error of contributing to a federal party one year, and ever since have been subjected to an unremitting and relentless campaign over the phone and rough the mail to get me to contribute again. When Diane picks up the phone, she says, “You don’t want to talk to him. He’ll just yell at you.” And I do... and it doesn’t dissuade them. The calls and letters just keep on coming. They get all of my money they’re going to get through taxes. I’m damned if will contribute money to their campaigns so they can spend more and take more. Preston Manning didn’t seem to think politicians were too great, though he was one. Campaigning in the election in 1991, he said, “What’s the difference between a catfish and a politician? One is a wide-mouthed bottom feeding slime sucker... and the other is a fish.” An old joke, I know, but the fact that it was uttered by a federal politician shows a surprising insight. In 1994, The Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills met in the football’ s Superbowl. Governor Anne Richards of Texas was asked what she had bet Governor Cuomo in New York on the outcome. She replied, “I didn’t bet anything. New York doesn’t have anything I want.” That’s exactly how I feel about the rest of the world. - George Underhill Continued on page 6 —————— & Removal Brush chipping Lot clearing Black River Tree Service Glenn Guernsey 476-3757