Keep in mind, the following rant is not all Toby's fault. In his very un-holiday-like diatribe, he did actually put forward some suggestions or actions which may or may not have helped the various situations he was refering to. But, helpful or not, they were there. It's just that the article, and its overwhelming negative tone, got me thinking about how politicians talk about their political opponents.

Basically, unless they've just died, there's apparently nothing good one can say. (All dead politicians were loyal servants of the people, and outstanding citizens in their own right.)

If the in-power dude says it's UP, the opposition dude says it should be DOWN. If the majority says it's LEFT, the minority says it's RIGHT.

Surely, the politicians in power must do SOMETHING right? Yes? However, there seems to be a "status quo" rule. Incumbents are hard to oust. Once they're in, unless they're really dumb (even for politicians) we leave them there. So the opposition can't afford to give them any credance whatsoever. If they say the slightest good thing about the party in power, it's seen as the voters license to leave them in. So, the upshot is, nothing good every gets said.

Now people who know me know that I don't like a lot of rules. Especially if they might apply to me. I like common sense. I like personal responsibility. But I have a new law to propose...

Politicians should no longer be able to say ANYTHING BAD about their opponents actions or viewpoints, unless they can state what action or view SHOULD be taken.

Get it?

You can't say "That's a dumb idea!"
You have to say "That's a dumb idea! He should have done this instead. It's what I and my party would do!"
Or, if the guy in power really has thrown a whopper out there, "That's a dumb idea! Shouldn't have been done at all - and I and my party will repeal it."
Or, dare I say it, "That's a dumb idea! It won't work. But we have no idea what would work - we're stumped!" (Well, I'll be - a politician admitting that situations are complicated and they don't know the answers. Huh.)

Anyway, no more grousing and whining, just because they have the power to do something and you don't. No more auto-opposition. (If he said or did it, it must be wrong.)