Mocking politics

Zangy Comment Graphics
The representation of Romanians' interests in the Parliament isn't worth a penny in the eye of many political leaders in Romania. They only care about direct and uncontrolled access to power and about favoring their own clientele networks and groups of interests. These are not mere critical opinions, as they rely on available data, such as politicians' attendance and activity in Parliament sessions. A recent report by the Public Policy Institute unveils those politicians most fond of playing truant when the Parliament is to vote: Ion Iliescu, Adrian Nastase, Mircea Geoana, Crin Antonescu, Corneliu Vadim Tudor, George Copos and Viorel Hrebenciuc. In other words, ex Romanian presidents, PMs and vice PMs, ex and present presidents of parliamentary parties and leaders of some parliamentary groups. Some of them are worn out, skeptical and even morally exhausted politicians. Although Ion Iliescu and Adrian Nastase are still trying to make some things change in the PSD (Social-Democrat Party), not even the party branches are putting up with them now and they have even threatened to expel them if they oppose the bill against the Tariceanu Cabinet.
Some are still in politics because they haven't lost the skill, if they have ever been skilled in some field. They are parasites in the Parliament, they don't care about the laws voted there, since they no longer take pains at voting. Even if they made it to the Parliament due to polls for common lists, the way they vote or if they vote is known anyway. I am really curious if the uninominal vote system manages to eliminate some of the top truants from the Parliament. If electors know the elected don't even care about attending the voting, they won't vote for them, naturally.
Political despecializing is not parliamentary parties' monopoly. Maybe a word such as "despecializing" lacks descriptive accuracy, because it involves previous specializing, which is not the case many a time. Some months ago I talked to the leaders of fields in a non-parliamentary party and I could see they didn't even know a political party dealt with political activities. They didn't know about political parties' functions, but they did politics. If ever reaching the Parliament, the poor them won't even be in trouble, since well-known politicians from parliamentary parties are no better. The most illustrative examples come from the PSD and the PNL (National Liberal Party), As they are unable to analyze and elaborate political and electoral strategies all by themselves, these parties' leaders paid some foreign advisers and companies much money. The outcome was disastrous, although the respective foreign advisers can't be said to be as amateurish as their clients. They are not amateurish, but they are unable to understand the state of things in Romanian politics.
A requirement such as professionalism is actually useless in Romanian politics. How can one ask for professionalism, since in Romania we can't get rid of the "it works so too" syndrome ? It will "work so too" until the electorate realizes it too. But the electors will have to prove better skill in politics than the ones they elect in order for this happen. This is a vicious circle. But, just as in logic, in politics the solution can consist but in the solving of aporias and dilemmas. Or we will have mocking politics forever.

Dan Pavel
Ziua Luni 17 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english