Dirty politics
Posted on 04-15-10 · Sassy Lawyer Tags: 2010 elections, culture, government, history, politicsSearch Google with the key string “smear campaign Philippine elections” and you’ll get a list, about four pages long, of the same Agence France Presse (AFP) report by Maynardo Macaraig entitled “Internet fuels Philippine election smear campaigns.” It reads in part:
Philippine politics has plunged to ugly lows ahead of next month’s presidential election as candidates take advantage of the Internet and mobile phones to smear their rivals, analysts say.
Among the worst examples, front runner Benigno Aquino has had to deal with a hoax psychiatric report claiming he is mentally ill and took drugs, while his main opponent, Manny Villar, has been accused of lying about his dead brother.
“They have reached a new kind of low,” said Jorge Tigno, associate professor of political science at the University of the Philippines, referring to the mudslinging campaign tactics being employed by the presidential candidates.
In the past, those vying for the presidency in the Philippines were generally seen to be above the heated rivalries of lower-level politicians, according to Tigno.
Huh? I have this uncanny feeling that during elections held when radio first become a popular and widespread medium, people said the same thing – radio fueled smear campaigns. Then, there was television. Today, it’s the Internet and mobile phones.
Get real, people. Politics is dirty and it is getting dirtier. Not because new technologies like the Internet and mobile phones make it easier and faster to circulate campaign information but because tactics of the past are already overused and people can already see through them. Ergo, the image consultants and the political handlers dream up of other ways to capture the attention of the public. Heck, who needs the internet and mobile phones to spread rumors? Rumor mongering is as old as man and it will be part of human experience long after the Internet and mobile phones are superseded by newer and more sophisticated technologies.
Ah, the need to point a finger to deflect the blame from the real culprits. Politics get dirty because the players are dirty. What’s so hard to understand about that? Politics has always been dirty business. It has always been full of intrigues and smear campaigns. It has often been marked by violence. And it isn’t just Philippine politics that illustrate these characteristics. The filth of politics transcends era and culture.
Transcends era and culture? Sure. When Julius Caesar was just starting to rise to power, his tactics to capture the consulship was described by Greek historian and biographer Plutarch in “Parallel Lives.” He wrote: “Of the two other candidates for this office, Lucius Lucceius and Marcus Bibulus, Caesar joined forces with the former, making a bargain with him that since Lucceius had less influence but more funds, he should in their common name promise largess to the electors from his own pocket. When this became known, the aristocracy authorized Bibulus to promise the same amount, being seized with fear that Caesar would stick at nothing when he became chief magistrate, if he had a colleague who was heart and soul with him. Many of them contributed to the fund, and even Cato did not deny that bribery under such circumstances was for the good of the commonwealth. So Caesar was chosen consul with Bibulus…”
Dirty political wheeling and dealing, pure and simple. After that, Julius Caesar tried to dominate Roman politics with his First Triumvirate, an “informal” alliance with Crassus and Pompey, two of the most powerful Roman politicians of the time. And after gaining control of government, he centralized the bureaucracy and became a dictator. The Roman senators thought he was going to get rid of them by dissolving the Senate so they assassinated him in 44 BC.
In English history, the House of Tudors (1485 to 1603) was beset by political intrigues from beginning to end with issues like usurpation (which led to the execution of Lady Jane Grey) and illegitimacy (Elizabeth I was considered by the Catholics in England to be an illegitimate child of Henry VIII). Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I, was accused of adultery and incest, none of which could be proven, but for which she was eventually beheaded (officially, the crime was treason as adultery to the king was considered high treason) just so the Seymour family, by marrying off their Jane to Henry, could rise to power and prominence which, naturally, translated into wealth.
Let’s have an example that many of us are familiar with. When Ferdinand Marcos was consolidating his power, after declaring Martial Law in 1972, what were among his first acts? Brand his critics as communists and anarchists, have them arrested, and close down newspapers, radio and television stations so that only his version of the true state of the nation would be disseminated.
The truth is, in any political exercise, when the highest power is at stake, people go to all lengths and stoop to the lowest levels, to win. And because every claimant to power is surrounded by people who expect to profit from his victory, they are just as willing as he is to propagate lies, both in his favor and against his opponents, if the lies can be translated into votes (in an election) or popular support (in a non-election such as an insurrection or a rebellion).
It’s less than a month before the presidential elections. We read and hear about dirty political tactics made by, or on the behest of, the contenders and the political analysts, the so-called experts, are blaming the Internet and mobile phone technology? Oh, come on. The rumor mongers are getting more creative but analysts are still sticking to old school analysis?
Loading ...
Politics after all is a human creation and endeavor. So long as it is in our nature to muddle every thing we touch, things like this are bound to happen.
The only consolation is, we can always rise above ourselves and do something about this. The question now is, when would we Filipinos put an end to this?
As you have commented -
“Let’s have an example that many of us are familiar with. When Ferdinand Marcos was consolidating his power, after declaring Martial Law in 1972, what were among his first acts? Brand his critics as communists and anarchists, have them arrested, and close down newspapers, radio and television stations so that only his version of the true state of the nation would be disseminated.”
In our modern time in a modern democratic country, this is what exactly what Obama team if not Obama himself is doing in US of America against his critics except perhaps having them arrested.
Closing down a TV network is on the making IMO.
Jhay, I think that’s like asking a leopard to change his spots. Man is man. I was just watching the Bio of former British MP last night, Jerry Archer. Even in wealthy nations, politics still get dirty. Just look at Bush and Chenney during their terms.
In our case, there can be systemic controls to minimize these things but those are still controls, subject to implementation, and not the equivalent of changing human nature.
Which network would that be, Trosp?
It’s Fox News.
Obama administration is on all-out attack on Fox News. Rahm Emanuel (Obama’s Chief Of Staff) said the cable network is “not a news organization so much as it has a perspective.” David Axelrod (Obama’s Political Adviser) claimed that the channel’s programming is “really not news, it’s pushing a point of view.” Take note that Fox News topped the survey in the US of America as the most trusted news network, and lowest level in distrust,and can outrank CNN and NBC combined in share of cable news viewership on any given night.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/32039.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News_Channel
After the health care reform bill by Obama was signed into law, Deere, Verizon, AT&T, Caterpillar have declared that it would adversely affect their finances which will result to mass job losses. Now they’re in hot water – http://worldnewsvine.com/2010/03/congress-to-investigate-corporate-giants-att-caterpillar-deere-and-verizon/
(They will be in hell and not in just hot water if they have done that during the debate on the house floor).
That’s why I have the opinion that something is cooking up there in Obama’s camp on how they will deal with Fox News. They just can’t put their act together yet. At this stage, no grant of interview and no appearance from any administration personalities in any Fox News program.
i first encountered these mudslinging on facebook fanpage of the presidentiables. there’s matching pictures pa nga like villar swimming in a sea full of garbage, noynoy’s picture with a monkey on the side and gibo’s plane crashing down. most of the time, fans of these presidentiables would go on a heated argument defending their bets. some would comment like saying “abnormal c noynoy just like his nephew”, “ngpabotox si villar” and tuta si teodoro ni gloria”. some are downright silly and immature really. matatawa ka talaga.
i just wonder, why is it always villar and aquino ang parating ngsisiraan and are always involved in personal mudslinging? although some presidentiables has their share of issues but those issues are not that personal and subjective kasi like gibo on mindanao massacre and his being an ally of the admin and erap on his impeachment. is it because aquino and villar used their personal lives in their campaign kaya npepersonal na rin sila sa mga issues na para bang mga artista? just my observations.
It’s about visibility. The more a person is visible and talked about, the more he becomes a target. And majority of voters don’t really look at candidates vis a vis their stand on specific issues. That’s too deep for the average voter. Even among the middle classes, it is always how they “perceive” the candidate. Ergo, a matter of image. So, opponents attack the “image.” Equals mudslinging.
AFAIK, Noynoy started it by claiming Villar is actually an administration candidate.
Without showing any supporting data. That is the president we would get if we’re not using our head.
Parang si Kris Aquino ang ibinoto mo.
kung sino man ang na-una sana na lng hindi pinatulan and they should focus on campaigning for their platforms. but then again, that’s politics and its getting dirtier and dirtier as the elections is fast approaching.
What i mean is si Kris Aquino talaga ang ibinoto mo.
O kaya yung dating “We Bulong”.
trosp, our boss even joked on that. he started a casual talk with us on who we are going to vote and when we asked him on who’s his voting for he jokingly replied c kris aquino. (FYI, our boss is not aquino fan.)
i sometimes, think na kung hindi pa rin automated elections ngayon baka ang masulat ng mga tao sa ballot ay kris aquino.
anyways, would just like to share this article i read from manila bulletin. http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/253772/parable-poll-campaign
Trosp, those companies you mentioned that will supposedly have financial difficulties on account of the health care bill passing thereby resulting in job losses are sounding like a bunch of squealing pigs unaccustomed to the ways of Farmer Barack, These squealing pigs miss the eight years of treatment they had from Farmer George.
For haven’s sake mga kababayan, Dick Gordon ang dapat na susunod na pangulo ng ating bayan.
All the while, I thought these companies were showing the data on how Obama’s health care will cause job losses. Now, according to you. they sound like a bunch of squealing pigs unaccustomed to the ways of Farmer Barack.
In what way?
And these same companies, how were they treated during Bush time? I could only surmise that you want to suggest they were given the preferential treatment during those times. If that is so, how about showing some facts for a healthy discussion?