[Vision2020] Why I didn't vote for Brady

[debismith at moscow.com]

Ted, very true. Anyone who believes his or her own bull can lie with a straight face, dissemble 
until dawn, and give you a Hale-Fellow-Well-Met firm handshake while picking your pocket. 
Politicians have to believe their own BS to get elected. They also have to be able to baffle with 
their BS all those voters who will fall for a con.

 I met both these men when they were candidates--I knew Brady wouldn't get elected because 
he was a real person. While being near Butch raised the hair on the back of my neck, I looked 
at the folks around him and knew they were believing everything he said and inventing wonders 
he hadn't said, and I knew he was gonna get elected. People love to be lied to. Just look at 
those (fewer than six months ago!) Bushites---they know he's a damn liar, but they don't care. 
They will invent their own story to justify his lies because they can't admit they were conned.

Also keep in mind that the easiest person to con is a con artist...they do believe there is a 
quick fix, a magic bean, a real get-rich-quick scheme. Bushites, and Otterists, and 
ChickenHawks, oh my....Barnum was right! Which way to the egress?

Debi R-S



 Date sent:      	Sun, 14 Jan 2007 14:29:35 -0800
From:           	"Ted Moffett" <starbliss at gmail.com>
To:             	"Paul Rumelhart" <godshatter at yahoo.com>
Copies to:      	vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject:        	Re: [Vision2020] Why I didn't vote for Brady

All-

Anyone who has studied pathological personalities can tell you that
some of the most deceptive and dangerous people can look you straight
in a eye, shake your hand firmly, while they engage in the most self
conscious lies imaginable.  A politician may also appear commanding in
person, firm handshake and all, and still kowtow to polls, popularity
or their biggest campaign donors or lobbyists.  This is the reality of
political life, and firm handshakes are just part of this game.  And
don't forget the baby kissing!

>From "Animals" by Pink Floyd:

After a while you can work on points for style
Like the club tie, and the firm handshake
A sudden look in the eye, and an easy smile
You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to
So that when they turn their backs on you
You'll get the chance to put the knife in

http://www.ingsoc.com/waters/personal/animals.html

Phil Rose explains that, "the dog suggests that eventually the
attacker can adopt a deceitful, businesslike persona – characterized
by a deceptively friendly 'look in the eye', and a fraudulent smile
that can be called upon whenever necessary."
----------------------------------------------------------

In short, I would neither reject nor approve of a politician based on
a whether or not they had a firm handshake or looked someone directly
in the eye.

Want politicians to me more honest?  Lessen the domination of
political life by big money; campaign donations, lobbyists, corporate
revolving doors between the private sector and political office, etc. 
To discover what loyalties a politician has that will dictate their
conduct in office, follow the money trail that got them into office. 
This will be one of the most reliable measures of how they will
conduct themselves. Ted Moffett

On 1/14/07, Paul Rumelhart <godshatter at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Kai Eiselein wrote:
>
> > A limp handshake and the inability to look me in the eye.
> > Both, to me, show a lack confidence. That lack of confidence will
> > lead to waffling and paying more attention to "whats popular"
> > rather than "whats right". I'd like my candidates to have the
> > spine to stand up for what they believe is right, the pollsters,
> > consultants and "experts" be damned. (Of course, having them
> > generally in line with my view is a plus.) In other words, I want
> > them to lead.
> >
>
>
> A person with a limp handshake has got to be better than someone who
> will forcefully move us in the wrong direction.  In my opinion, our
> current President is a wonderful example of just that.
>
> I think the whole "firm handshake" thing is overrated.  Someone who
> is used to dealing with subtleties in today's world might just shake
> your hand just hard enough to show he means it but not hard enough
> to show that he's trying to compete with you to avoid engaging your
> "alpha male" response.  Someone who is compassionate instead of
> "macho" might just grip your hand warmly and softly, to show that
> they care.  Not to mention that someone who thinks he has to
> forcefully grip everybody's hand might just be tired enough not to
> grip yours hard enough if it's the ten-thousandth hand he's shaken
> that day.
>
> I'd prefer a little push in the right direction vs. a big push in
> the wrong direction.
>
> Of course, we may not agree on what direction is the right one, but
> I'd rather the direction itself be the biggest concern.
>
> Paul
>
> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>