For some time, observers of the local political scene have noted that the current administration is governed by one law: the rules apply to everyone else but they don't apply to us.
The Telegram editorialist drives it home in the Saturday edition with a commentary titled "Ethics vs. the law".
So does that mean [Premier Danny] Williams was being disingenuous when he emphasized “the need for openness, honesty and integrity” for members [before 2003]? Perhaps it does — but that’s not illegal either.
Here's an online definition of 'disingenuous': "not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness...".
Well, here's the thing: he wasn't failing to be candid or giving a false appearance of frankness. he meant exactly what he said. The thing is, in the world he inhabits, it's a given that any actions he takes are virtuous, moral and...well,...perfect. or perfectly justifiable.
It's the incarnation of the old joke about rule number one: the boss is always right. Rule number two? "If the boss is wrong, refer to rule number one."
The thing is in this case The Boss doesn't get the joke.
By his definition, the very instant he took the Premier's chair the need for "openness, honesty and integrity in government" had been met. The other guys - onto whom all his smears and innuendo (remember the computer hacking fairy tale?) and vicious, personal attacks ('You are pathetic...") had been heaped prior to 2003 - were gone.
Job done, supposedly.
Except that the job isn't done.
The job isn't being done.
The job - the job of building a fundamentally fair, open and democratic society in Newfoundland and Labrador - won't be done until the rules apply fairly and equitably to all.
That job - the most important job in our society - won't be done until our society functions on the basis of principles like fairness, openness, democracy, honesty and integrity.
That job can't be done when our politics functions on the basis of invented victimization, flatulent rhetoric, or self-serving rationalizations of the type described so adroitly by the Telegram editorialist.
The latter may be the principal methods of a particular group, of a particular administration, but that does not make these methods principles.
A truly prosperous society can only be built on principle.
The Telegram editorial reminds us of how truly far we are from even starting the job of prosperity.
-srbp-
