Honest Politicians

There are honest politicians but they are only rarely successful or in positions of much power. On the infrequent occasions when the average politician actually says something honest about an important issue, the next step is usually a blizzard of quasi-denials that includes such weasel words as 'misquoted', 'clarification', and 'taken out of context'.

Winston Churchill is notable for his honesty. In 1940, following the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk, he made his first speech in the House of Commons after becoming Prime Minister. In that speech, he trusted the spirit and courage of the people and spoke truth:

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat."

Later, in November 1942, after the victory at El Alamein, Churchill refrained from mindless optimism and spoke truth again:

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

Jean Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg since 1995, is a lesser figure but this, his greatest remark, deserves to be repeated:

"We all know what to do. We just don't know how to be re-elected once we've done it".

A new and worthy member of this small and exclusive club is George Papaconstantinou, the Greek Minister of Finance. Last month, discussing the current financial crisis in his nation, he said:

"People think we are in a terrible mess. And we are."

As small children, most of us were told, ad nauseam, that honesty is the best policy. Not all are believers but even cynics can appreciate the words of Mark Twain:

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."

Sadly, in the current political environment, politicians are almost always punished for venturing into the Territory of Truth. Change is possible but only when we, the voters, are willing to reward those who speak truth.

While outright lies are sometimes, but not always, easy to detect, we must also resolve to challenge those who indulge in mindless optimism, denial, and pandering to our worst instincts.

Enough said!