Down The Sewer Pipe – Politically Speaking

Promises and reality often become mixed up in the process of running for elected office.  The candidate often promises to take an action, close down a business, lower a tax, raise a tax, halt progress, and make progress happen.

It is always good to know where the limits are.  For year’s governmental candidates, in the state of Oregon, promised to take down a business in Albany because it was polluter.  There was a large smoke stack that most people associated with a vile smell.  More than one person got elected on that promise alone, to no avail.  The person got elected, the smoke stack stayed and the smell kept residence.  The reason for the business staying, it is a paper mill, is because the vile smell comes from a chemical plant on the adjacent property.  The smoke coming out of the rather tall stack, mostly water vapor from the stack scrubbers.  Since the mill met or exceeded the regulations, the mill stayed.

Similar, well-meaning, tall tails are abounding in this election year.  One candidate is saying we will stay in Iraq forever, like we have in Germany, Japan, and Korea.  The other candidate is saying we will be totally our in six months.  Neither is actually true because, the candidate does not control the circumstances of staying or getting out.

Not to put to fine a point on this but making statements solely to become elected is defiantly not moral.  I myself made two promises to the citizens of Friday Harbor Washington.

1. I would figure out how the town actually worked, to find an explanation of why the decisions were often so awful.
2. I would not take part in any action that would get the town sued.  Paying for lawsuits is a poor application of public money.

Tempting as it is, do not make promises that you cannot or will not keep.

Sherman