tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494384.post117211346233682268..comments2024-03-04T04:09:01.839-06:00Comments on And Doctor Biobrain's Response Is...: Professional PoliticiansDoctor Biobrainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641661532899934766noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494384.post-1172175235672524042007-02-22T14:13:00.000-06:002007-02-22T14:13:00.000-06:00Well, first of all you are influential, so be care...Well, first of all you are influential, so be careful what you advocate in jest, which is why I warn about irony. I'm serious, it's dangerous. Some toolboxes will take it literally and then you have to go all Stephen Colbert on them and they still don't realize he's making fun of them.<BR/><BR/>As for promises, I remember George Bush the first, Read My Lips, No New Taxes. And he wasn't impeached or anything, but it surely did help him lose support in the next election so you have a point there. Anyhow the lesson that anyone's taken from that is not to make promises.<BR/><BR/>In seriousness, though, what value are promises from someone without a record you can trust? If Hillary Clinton says she cares about women's issues, do you believe her because she promises it or because it's just self-evidently the case that she is interested in the issue. Of course, that might not be a sufficient reason to vote for her, and other candidates might care sufficiently about women's issues to be more trustworthy all around. I'm just making an example.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7494384.post-1172155455176458652007-02-22T08:44:00.000-06:002007-02-22T08:44:00.000-06:00But if a politician felt compelled to commit to pr...But if a politician felt compelled to commit to promises they didn't keep, it would be much easier for their opponents to use against them in future elections. It would also be easier to wage a recall effort against them. As things are, politicians can get away without promising anything real and thus can't be held accountable. They just have to show us what upstanding citizens they are and ride the incumbent road to victory on a wave of empty phrases.<BR/><BR/>Besides, Arthur Andersen isn't auditing anymore and many of their CPA's lost their licenses and will never audit again; thus ruining their careers. And all because CPA's have strict rules that are enforced. Don't you wish you could say the same for a quite a few Republicans.<BR/><BR/>Overall, in my scheme, the bindingness would come from politicians wanting to make good on their promises so they'd be re-elected. And that's really how the system should work; rather than the current system, where an incumbent has to have huge personal problems before people think to throw the bum out. And even personal scandal and bribes aren't always enough to have them lose office. And all because it's a popularity contest designed to pick the person we like best, rather than the dude who can deliver on the best set of promises.<BR/><BR/>As for the link, I just like to brag that I have bloggers for readers. It makes up for the fact that I have so few readers. It's like I'm influential or something.Doctor Biobrainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01641661532899934766noreply@blogger.com