OK Wiseguy

OK Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time once again to touch on the subject of qualities that we should look for in a political candidate or office holder. I know that by now you are probably getting sick of thinking about this (and equally tired of me writing about it), but hey this stuff is important. 

Now you can call me silly, but I think that one of the self-evident qualities that a person who seeks or holds power is to be wise. I'm not talking about knowledge here, and maybe not even intelligence (though that would certainly be considered a refreshing plus). Smart people are still capable of doing dumb things. I'm talking about the ability to assimilate the available information and, as a representative of a constituency, make wise decisions. 

As always, I am going back to my handy reference guide, the online Merriam Webster dictionary. (Good thing that I am using the online version, as I might have otherwise worn the pages out on this thing.)  

Insolent, smart-alecky, or fresh Evidencing or hinting at the possession of inside information - Is it just me, or do you feel like this one is about smoke filled rooms and back alley deals. Quite frankly, I think many politicians possess inside information, and are both insolent and smart-alecky (which, by the way, is another one of those words that I never knew existed). Perhaps the power, or the seeking of it makes people that way.It be a fault in most professional politicians, but I think that we can agree that it is nothing to seek in one.

Skilled in magic or divination - This has come up before in our discussions and cannot be considered a good thing. I would rather choose someone not looking into a crystal ball or the cards for our future, and it seems like every time someone pulls a rabbit out of the hat, I have to pay to feed and shelter the poor little bunny for the rest of its days. No, political slight of hand is far too much a part of everyday politics and never bodes well for the voter.

Marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment -Oh yeah, now we're getting somewhere. There is little doubt that this is an essential quality in a candidate. Sure we need to agree that the understanding and discernment need to be about doing the job that they are seeking, and not simply being well versed in how to play the game to their own advantage; but that should be easy, right? As for the sound judgment part, I can't say that I am surprised that judgment is part of the discussion and expect it to come up again. Well this is progress. I think we can agree that we have something here that we can hang our hat on. This may not mean that we can actually find this quality in a candidate, but even knowing what to look for helps. Let's see where the next one takes us in a couple of weeks.