Based on some questions people have been asking me of late. I need to get this written out.
My beliefs in politicians (and of all people in general) is to be transparent, honest and acknowledge your mistakes. You will never get everyone in your riding or ward to agree with you 100% of the time, but people do value honesty and integrity.
I really get annoyed when politicians make a claim in a sound bite and then don’t follow up with details on it. The recent municipal elections involving a four year tax freeze is one example. Many people seem to make vague statements like finding inefficiencies and that no services will be cut. Post election we start hearing that no ‘core’ services will be cut.
When you run a campaign to get someone elected it should not be ‘at any cost’ As a voter and a citizen I’m insulted when a politician tries less then transparent means to get elected. Every other citizen should feel the same way in my humble opinion.
Glen Pearson blogged about The Myth of the Silent Majority and how many use that line to try and discourage engagement. Some people opposing some of these citizen groups have reasons to be concerned because it nullifies some of the tactics of fear and uncertainly that we have seen happening more and more in Canadian politics of all levels. It’s tactics I’ve seen in the last three elections and I’m insulted by it.
I realize that my vision of the city is not going to align 100% with other people but we have to give all citizens the true facts, without trying to mask things. In addition there is nothing wrong with coming out and admitting you were wrong. People can and will forgive if you do something wrong and try to make it right.
Question: Do you agree there needs to be more transparency in politics?
I dislike the word “transparent.” It gives me images of plastic food wrap; plastic, sterile and artificial. I do, however, generally understand what is meant when people use it.
I don’t believe that everything and anything in organizations or politics should be on display for public viewing. Much information is private or confidential. Many topics are complicated and – frankly – can’t be fully understood by many people who would simply pick up the easiest items of open information that support what they want and yell about them at their top of their voices. In addition, sometimes politicians need to be able to talk and discuss in private when the conversation is not suitable or ready for the public.
What I do believe needs to be more a part of politics (and in people generally) is personal responsibility. We need to be able to trust that the people we elect will (try to) do what they said they would, will stick to the principles they were elected on and will vote according to the interests of the people who put them there. If this could be counted on from all people, concepts like “transparency” would be moot. We wouldn’t need to waste time scrutinizing every detail of every agenda of every meeting if we knew that people we elected had high enough standards of personal responsibility to not require such inspection.
Excellent points all around.