The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

POLITICS is a game and there are no rules. The game board is comprised of players who claim that they want what is best for us. They will say anything and do anything to get "another chance", to do all the good things they would like to do for us.

The good thing about political gaming is that we get to see them trying to do their best, but the worst of who they are always finds a way on to the stage. Those of us who are burdened with the task of voting, must be just as committed to our responsibility as citizens as the candidates are to playing their games.We will have to judge the newcomers by what they are saying and what we know about them from their public and business involvements. We will have to judge the experienced fellows as we relate what they have done to what they have previously said they will do.

The part of the game that will cause the most confusion for us is when the contenders push our buttons by their personal attacks upon each other. They want to make us feel something that will take away our ability to be rational.

This is usually an indication that someone has nothing of substance to offer or say.

The game at this point, gets into the "insecurity" mode; it is very effective because we all have insecurities and to make decisions when we are feeling like this has a personal bias of sorts. This bias can run so deep that we can cut off our nose to spite our face and feel no pain at the time.

You really do not want to hear how someone feels about someone if both of them are exchanging crap in the media. What you want to watch out for are the instances when the crap exchangers get very thin-skinned and an attempt to garner pity, because their family or close associates got to hear things about them that only their opponents knew.

This is also an aspect of "say anything, do anything", even at the expense of using wife and children. There is a rule here that should be carved in stone, "If you say something about someone, expect something to be said about you."

Here is a suggestion. If you are still confused about what you are hearing and all the stuff that is going on, get a hold of the recent financial disclosures made by the candidates and do the leg work to see which companies they are involved with.

What you are looking for, are persons on opposite sides of the political spectrum who are actually business partners or associates, or who share responsibilities on different boards. If the company or association is a successful one, then you will have to question the disconnect between their public and private personas, which allows them to sit at the same table and make rational decisions but use public political behaviour to sow discord and separation among the persons they want to lead. We will have to have our own rules in place to deal with the political gamers.

EDWARD HUTCHESON

Nassau,

April 20, 2012.