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Dear Mr. or Ms. Politician:Dear Mr. or Ms. Politician: First, let me thank you for volunteering to represent your friends, family and neighbors. You've raised your hand and run for office, and you stepped into the arena where, instead of gladiators in armor, you face reporters armed with public scrutiny. Good luck to you. You could be an ego-maniac, or you could be just someone who was talked into running by your friends at the coffee shop. The reasons are your own. Either way, you sit on committees, handle tax dollars and make the decisions that affect my day-to-day life. Therefore, let me share with you my three (wishful) rules for politicians. Rule One: No one trusts a liar more than once. No one in this day of instant media can successfully lie, distort truth, or bend reality. People, let me introduce you to the tools of the trade: a camera phone, a digital scanner, a computer link, and the geniuses of YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, and Google. With these simple items, a fourth grader who knows what he's doing can post your vacation pictures, your tax returns, and your high school biology grades. I'm going to introduce you to a novel concept. It may be unfamiliar to some, so pay attention. Here it is. Tell. The. Truth. Frankly, no one really cares what you do in your personal lives. It's the lying about it that bugs us. Save us all the headache and, if you're doing something naughty, stop it. If you can't stop it, then at least have the common sense to own up to it when you're caught. Rule Two: Your friends say more about your character and values than your actions. The higher up you get on the political ladder, the more "advisors" you'll garner. Most of these folks are good, honest, idealistic folks who really want to serve the public good. I happen to know a few and think they are unbelievably bright and intelligent--and, for the life of me, I can't understand why they don't run for office themselves. But, occasionally, you'll get a random "bad apple" in the bunch. They talk about "image-building" and don't bat an eyelash at chipping away at your integrity, if it'll garner you a couple of points in the polls. They're more interested in photo-ops than constituent phone calls. Here's a test. If you get the willies when they pop into your office, then maybe you should reconsider your relationship. A true friend and advisor is someone who will never ask you to betray your integrity. They'll keep you grounded in reality, but they'll also be the ones holding that ladder to success steady for you to climb. You'll never question their motives or their agenda. Rule Three: Be true to who you are. Whether you're City Dogcatcher, or U.S. Senator, people are going to challenge your views. I don't care what your personal beliefs are, just that you have the integrity to stick to them in the face of the public spotlight. I may not personally agree with you, but I can choose to exercise my freedom to vote for you or not. Don't sell out your values, your beliefs and your morals for a few votes. Because, if you do so and win, what have you really won? An office based on promises you don't intend to keep? And, if you don't do so, and lose, what have you really lost? The opportunity to lead people who don't believe in your same values? For the love of Pete, just be yourself. Save me and my media colleagues the time and trouble it takes to research the lies, okay? You're right, it isn't fair that we ask so much of our elected officials. And yes, being held to a higher standard is tough. It goes with the job, though. I really do wish you luck this November. Because, in this high-paced, 24-hour-media cycle, where even the tiniest of innocent sound bites gets repeated non-stop, you're going to need all you can get. Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached by phone at 620-227-1807, or by e-mail at jlatzke@hpj.com. 10/6/08 Date: 9/30/08 Advertisement
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