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My decision to vote for Among Ed in our May provincial election was
a clinical, pragmatic one, devoid of the goose pimple-raising
reasons that most of his supporters invoked. Among Ed, it was my
feeling, will not violate two of the Ten Commandments.
He will neither kill nor steal.
The bar of consideration was admittedly low by
idealistic political standards. Leaders are expected to do more.
Leaders should not be appreciated merely for not killing people and
plundering the provincial resources. They should possess a modicum
of competence, a dash of political gravitas and should be able to
perform bright and shining accomplishment, here and there, if not
more often.
But if you are from the province and are fully
aware of the impossible corruption and incompetence that preceded
Among, voting for him based on those two paltry criteria was
more than liberating. I felt victorious as I wrote his name on the
ballot.
Sure, I was guilty of basking “in
the soft bigotry of low expectations” to quote the current US
president. But that moment inside the voting booth and writing his
name was truly liberating.
It is in this context that I still remain an
unwavering supporter of the governor-priest, despite all the
low-life efforts to unseat him and the reports that most of his
supporters are now disenchanted, furious, or bent toward his
political destruction. Among Ed is now being threatened by a recall
move, money and political groups now lined up for his ouster.
To date, Among Ed has not strayed from the two
commandments. There is no overwhelming evidence and testimony that
he has done otherwise, despite the nasty rumors about his
recent conduct. He remains unaffected by power.
Most probably, he means well and he aims well.
The basic goodness of heart may still be there. In his dreams,
he may be still dreaming of a province where justice, peace
and prosperity reign.
And he has still plenty of time to reverse the
erosion of his popular support.
The paralysis and gridlock at the capitol, the
never-ending state of tension between his camp and those of his
sworn enemies, can still be turned around if Among does something
drastic and dramatic. According to those who deeply care for Among,
here are a few items that need to be done:
1. A surgical strike at the warmongers
that he has mistakenly appointed to sensitive posts at the capitol.
It is not too late for a revamp.
2. He should study the whistle-stops of Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, the train tours of Robert Kennedy that took him
deep into the heart of the depressed Appalachians. This way he can
talk directly to the people about their problems and their pains.
3. He should read and digest, not table and
ignore, the economic programs that had been presented to him for
consideration. Putting up ICT hubs, industrial parks, irrigation
systems, food production centers and the like are worthwhile ideas,
not junk.
4. He should fire most of the lawyers around
him. They write in mangled, pompous prose in the first place.
5. He should pour funds into the most urgent
basic services: road repair, hospital services upgrading
specifically. He should try driving through the Sta Rita—Porac
provincial road for one to get a general idea on how bad the
provincial roads are.
Lastly, he should learn to compromise.
Politics is about the prosaic: negotiations, deals, compromises to
get things done. Not hope and dreams. If a leader wants to get
things done and wants to govern well, he should learn to listen to
other voices and divergent points of view.
He should realize that the monopoly of good
intention and integrity is not concentrated at the capitol. There is
a gust of fresh, well-meaning and well-intentioned wind outside and
he should savor this.
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