On Politics
By Richard Borreca
Sunday, December 9, 2001
Politicians aren’t
bad, they’re victims
Perhaps it was because of disappointment, perhaps it was because we knew so many of them, but for years we have refused to face the reality of our at-risk politicians.With the sentencing of former City Councilman Andy Mirikitani, it is time that we accept the fact that Hawaii is raising a generation of at-risk politicians and public servants.
We have nabbed them for drinking and driving, stealing money, lying about their money, lying about voting, lying about their taxes, hitting their spouses, hiring hookers and running around naked.
They may be a fun bunch in a late-night bar, but would you leave your children alone with them?
We have hidden the fact long enough, it is time we considered the problem, accept it and decide how we will deal with it.
Few jobs call for you to swear that you will uphold and obey the law when you start work. How were we to know that if we make public officials promise to obey the law, so many would break it.
Are we at fault for the problem of crooked politicians?
We know many of the reasons why at-risk politicians could turn to a life of crime. Like others, they could be the victims of inadequate health care, nutrition, housing, or education.
Problems that may plague our politicians could include "low parental education; family conflict; disruption in care giving; out-of-home placement; poor attachment between child and family; low community attachment and community disorganization, as evidenced by low parent involvement in schools."
It just might be that Hawaii's at-risk politicians are the result of Hawaii's poor public school system.
These are all problems we must address now, if we are to halt the anti-social behavior shown by our politicians.
And, it is time that we addressed the question of outside influences that can prey on our most easily influenced at-risk politicians: Those running for re-election.
Does television cause political corruption? Should we limit the number of television commercials we allow a politician to buy? Will the purchase of just a few innocent 30-second commercials lead to a craving for a half-hour documentary, shown statewide?
We have scores of federal studies showing that gang membership increases the likelihood that at-risk individuals will commit serious crimes.
The question to be answered then is what is a politician's peer group, and should we actively monitor who our at-risk politicians associate with.
Imagine the temptations foisted on the vulnerable public official by being included in a group of at-risk politicians. If these members are driven behind closed doors and duck into any late-night caucuses, can we expect anything but trouble?
They are in their smoke-filled rooms, talking about who-knows-what. When they come out, who can blame them for going wrong?
If we allow them to meet in convention and they come out rotten, do we have anyone to blame but ourselves?
For our politicians, we must consider if the federal warnings about juvenile delinquency "low aspirations and goals, peer rejection and social alienation, association with deviant peers, including grouping antisocial children" are also causes of political delinquency.
Sure they may be victims of severe social inequities but does that mean they can not be rehabilitated?
If you vote against a politician, will the feelings of rejection force them into a life of crime?
Instead if we demand and establish high expectations for all politicians, we can be assured that the politician we protect today will provide for us tomorrow.
Let's make a pledge right now as a community to leave no politician behind.
Richard Borreca writes on politics every Sunday in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached at 525-8630 or by e-mail at rborreca@starbulletin.com.
