Knowledgeable, concerned constituents in the tens of thousands, including me, condemn the existence of dynastic politicians. We deplore them when their wives, children and grandchildren run for elections to perpetuate dynastic rule.
With a typical knee-jerk reaction, the head of our oversized, overextended dynasty told us off to our faces, the ultimate turn-off. “Let the voters decide! We’ve got rights!” he bristled.
Rights, they say? I say, hogwash!
In a democracy, “rights” is the most ambiguous word, taken advantage of by self-interest groups, lobbyists, and egotists, including pornographers and village idiots.
Stripped of its fancy rationale and self-serving legalese, dynastic politics is nothing but a pathological addiction to perks and power, corruption and cheating in the high positions of government.
The abuses spawned by dynastic politics are well-known: bully politics, predatory rule, nepotism and opportunism.
Avarice and arrogance make dynasties cling to their position like leeches, in total disregard of giving way to deserving others in a level playing field.
Dynasties lack delicadeza, the instinct and sensitivity to preserve honor and dignity for one’s self and his family.
Persons with delicadeza have an acute sense for the rightness of things. Their intentions are pure, bereft of hypocrisy and guile. Their human virtues are inherent. Delicadeza needs no rationalization nor declaration. It is the quiet virtue of saintly souls.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago says that our country is the world capital for political dynasties. She cited that there are 178 active dynasties in our political landscape, 94 percent existing in 80 provinces ruling from eight to 20 years, some for as long as 30 years.
Cobwebs
Anti-dynasty bills have gathered cobwebs for almost 13 years due to the deliberate inaction by legislators, Sen. Santiago said.
The low intelligence quotient of our mainstream electorate best explains the scattering of political dynasties all over the country.
Majority of our voters lack critical thinking. The lower class accounts for rural feudal votes and the mainstream masa for idolatry votes. The middle class thinking votes make up the smallest sector.
Feudal votes subsist on transactional politics, clan relationship, padrino system and regionalism.
Idolatry votes bank on mass-based popularity. Media creatures such as movie heartthrobs, TV and radio newscasters, and basketball stars win on wide-scale idolatry. The Estradas, Revillas and Lapids are perfect examples of political dynasties created by idolatry votes.
The Marcoses, Aquinos and Binays are products of dynastic long tenure, dynastic successions, and long shelf life name recall.
Our voters’ low intelligence quotient also explains why mediocre politicians get elected to local and national posts.
They vote for candidates who are not equipped with intellectual and moral fitness, and the potential for professional statecraft.
We got the government we deserved because of our flawed constituency.
Our 65-year-old democracy has been mired in a muddle-through government hampered by systemic incompetence and bureaucratic corruption.
Our country has suffered severely in terms of pandemic poverty and social injustice. Our retarded economy drove millions to find jobs in foreign countries.
We must put an end to the politics that destroys our homes and dignity as a people.
We can put an end to political dynasties in the 2013 elections. Our chances are good. Consider the following big political upheavals which are essential in the enlightenment and maturing of our constituency.
Not impotent
A) The Corona teleserye impeachment—For a month on TV, we were educated on democracy’s dictum that no one is above the law, and that integrity and transparency of high government officials cannot be compromised. Now we know democracy is not impotent.
B) The sexy RH Bill soap opera—Our nationwide TV legislators and the Catholic Church went on a collision course over the immorality of preventing life for the unborn and the constitutional rights of citizens to practice the tenets of their religion. The pros and cons gripped the nation, resulting in divisiveness. The debates educated us on the critical role of checks and balance in governance. Freedom of speech rules.
C) Jesse Robredo’s tsinelas —The massive and nationwide grief over Robredo’s death revealed that the Filipino people has an intuitive desire and hunger for honest, hardworking, incorruptible and humble public servants. The tsinelas Robredo wore while working with his Naga constituents say it all. Robredo is the people’s role model of a candidate.
D) The computer-savvy Filipino youth—This is the biggest voters’ group in 2013, aged 18-29, idealistic and knowledgeable. They are heavy users of laptops, iPhones and cell phones. They tweet a lot on public issues, and make their Facebook page a powerful social force for spreading of ideas. The Filipino youth are our critical thinking “voters.” Today, they will raise the quality of our votes.
Many others have the vision for our nation’s greatness, the passion to serve with integrity and intellectuality, the resolve to reform a corrupt culture, and the imagination to innovate and inspire people to work for our economic growth. They are not popular, don’t have name recall nor the money to burn. They need our help. Let us seek them out and vote for them.
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