Politics used to be about
remembrance. The best politicians were those who remembered and were remembered
the most -- the most people, the
littlest favors, the smallest slights, the best anecdotes tying one's
politics to the common memory of the constituency.
Politics was also about gratitude.
Politicians were always thanking people,
"without whom" whatever under discussion could not have happened. You
not only thanked those in the room -- as
many as possible by name -- you even thanked those without -- for "having
prepared the wonderful meal which we have just partaken of." The politician was the creation of others,
and never failed to mention it.
Above all, politics was about
relationships. The politician grew
organically out of a constituency and remained rooted to it as long as
incumbency lasted.
Today, we increasingly elect people
about whom we have little to remember, to whom we owe no gratitude and with
whom we have no relationship except that formed during the great carnie show we
call a campaign. Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson
spoke for many contemporary politicians when he answered a question about his
memories of Thanksgiving Day football games by saying, “Memories? That’s not my
style.”
- Sam Smith, Shadows of Hope
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