I once loved working on political campaigns. After getting burned a couple of times by people I naively trusted, I caught on to the differences between politicians and public servants. Public servants operate from a place of humility and grace; a politician is simply a strategist.
Timing is one of the tale tell signs of a politician. They do things to get votes; thus they plan very carefully when to announce marvelous new ideas and endeavors. They usually attach themselves to work done by others, acting as though they were involved all along. You can tell they have an “agenda” because you don’t hear about their support until election year. Politicians are adept at telling partial truths. Getting straight answers requires many, many questions.
Public servants’ actions consistently reflect their commitment to integrity, treating all people respectfully, all the time, regardless of their social or economic status. Public servants operate from a place of sincere caring. They are quick to admit mistakes or their lack of knowledge about an issue.
With the challenges facing our communities we must take great care in choosing our elected representatives. The means by which votes are garnered speaks volumes about one’s character.
Louise Mann