90% of the politicians give the other 10% a bad reputation.Henry Kissinger

I doubt I’m the only Malaysian who gets sick and tired of reports from the Parliament. Is it the media’s fault or is it truly our esteemed politicians who have earned their reputation as nit-picky fools?

I’m sure the Parliament discusses serious issues but sometimes, these issues get clouded by reports of disputes over ‘whether they have to wear a tie’ and ‘what animal they can safely use to portray their opponents’.

I’ve realized that my day is often ruined after I read the news on our respected politicians. No wonder so many people skip through that and go straight to sports or the gossip page. Reading about how Tom Cruise accidentally named his daughter after pickpockets is certainly more fascinating...

I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.
Charles De Gaulle (1890 - 1970)

Watching recordings of what goes on in the Parliament also holds its own form of fascination – but it’s more akin to the gawking and gaping of the public witnessing a train wreck. You’re shocked and horrified by what you see but you are helpless to do anything about it.

I’ve seen street brawls that are more polite than the scraps that the politicians get into. I thought our leaders are supposed to be civil and decorous to one another. But the language they use, the mocking jibes and the taunting shouts they throw at each other just ... I don’t know… It embarrasses me.

When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained.
Edward R. Murrow (1908 - 1965)

Whenever I read a report in a newspaper, or hear on the news, that some insignificant political character has said something stupid and invoked the wrath of the masses, I usually mutter to myself that it’s nothing but a publicity ploy. Just another ludicrous sound bite by some publicity-hungry wannabe.

Say something horribly stupid / discriminatory / bigoted and you’ll incite a huge outcry or controversy and TADAH! You’re guaranteed your 15 seconds of fame. Bad publicity is still publicity to some people.

But after so many years of observing this same tactic being used by different people (the same BREED of people, though), I’ve come to a different conclusion.

These politicians don’t say something stupid to get publicity...
They say something stupid because they are.

Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest Americans. It's the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then--we elected them.
Lily Tomlin (1939 - )

My sincere apologies to the genuinely decent politicians out there. You're a rare breed. I salute you.