Madness or insanity has been said to be a not a medical condition but a political one.
‘Tis the season of inane politics and the Commission on Election has been issuing show cause orders left and right- but strangely not from top to bottom– to those who apparently have unmoored themselves from the normal ethics and behavior of decency becAUSE of mere exuberance ,or lust, for power.
In showbiz as in politics, the show must go on. I overheard one osycophant to a business feudal owner once declared in the same , exact vein
The late top American diplomat, Henry Kissinger, knew why: power is the ultimate aphrodisiac, whether in politics , business or showbiz. (They are interchangeable nowadays). It explains why, among other things, corruption in unstoppable and dynasties, which is a no-no In our neck of the woods in politics per our Constitution, they are spawning like mushrooms.
Mushrooms are neither plants or animals and usually proliferate in the dark; there you go. So, try as much, our legislators have been frustratingly stymied by a fork in the road to follow the path of our Charter, which is supposed to be the soul of the nation. That unmistakably gives one an idea where our national soul is, heaven or hell. A former president, now abroad and in jail awaiting his judgment from an international court over an heinous crime, gave some legislators on the other side of the spectrum that he would be glad to meet them in the Hades.
The vice president who has a moist eye cast on the 2028 political scenario and the President’s senator-sister who’ uncertain with her fate in the 2025 senatorial race than the 2028 que sera , sera, have agreed to color the country’s background theme as black. Both agree who are responsible for arrest—kidnapping—of the former president. Both agree, along with their troll farms, Filipinos and otherwise, that he, the tyrant, should be sent back home, ASAP, mainly on account of his age.
“ I am but north . north-west, “ said Hamlet. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw”.
Notwithstanding that both top politician seem to appear to be unhinged by the normal standard, perception is not reality. They know who their friends are and who their enemies are. Of course, the list includes the President, the First Lady, the Speaker of the House and members of the House quadcom that precipitated the impeachment against the perceived frontrunner in the 2028 presidential derby.
The latest are Cabinet officials, the chief of the Philippine National Police and a top PNP general who been hailed before the Ombudsman for infractions, among them graft and corruption in the wake of the former president’s forced jet flight to the Netherlands.
“Make my day+, politely said the justice secretary and his brother, who have owned up to the “alleged” kinapppoing. But the senator presidential sister believes in her pure heart and sane mind where the buck stops. The brother says she’s entitled to her opinion but he disagrees. The late Pampanga governor Bren Z. Guiao ,who once said politics is a thankless job ,once opinioned that in a democracy everyone can make a fool of oneself.
Guiao’s allies, both in politics and no, may well dispute both the foolishness and thanklessness comments of the job.
We don’t have a corner of misbehaving politicians and their shenanigans who appear to be more daring and unorthodox, assuming there;s such an orthodox in politics, throwing profanities and ali
In the United states,Americans are reaping the ill=effects of second Donald Trump presidency as legit civil servants are laid off on purpose, immigrants are deported willy nilly , unelected billionaires are given reign over critical agencies , and foreign allies made enemies and vice versa. The word tariff is now a buzz word among world enemies, and no distinction are drawn between between friends or enemies.
The British writer George Orwell had explored the concept of insanity not as medical condition but as a political tool, In his book “1984”, Orwel described insanity as means for public manipulation and suppression of individual thoughts,
In the modern world, this insanity has materialized in fake news, fraugdulent information, outright lies and scams achieved through the social media. Trolls are now the focus of attention, monitoring and investigation by law enforces that foreign countries are believed to disrupting not only the elections and other subtle, invasive activities.
The relation ship insanity and politics is said to be complex. It is held to be deliberately sought as defense for legal purpose or a means to attract public sympathy. The Comelec fairly warned about politicians’ tactic or strategy to achieve either, especially those attempting to gain national leadership that can compromised national territory and soverl eignty.
A political website put it succinctly: recent p0litical discourse has been defined by extremism. Political rallies and speeches meant to inspire increasingly resemble mob gatherings. Candidates attempt to one-up each other in outrageousness, stoking fear, hatred and division.
Obviously, the COMELEC has a bigger and more intelligent challenge to do a better job. Vote-buying is now only just one of its concerns. In fact, the other insane ways the politician are doing may only trick , divert AND MISLEAD the Comelec from doing its true and real job: keep the elections and clean and honest,
“it’s funny how you want to do it, and can’t”, American Nobel Prize novelist John Steinback wrote in “ In Dubious Battle.” It must be how the COMELEC feels, with all the antics and madness in Philippine politics,
