Political Butterflies, Prostitutes, and Turncoats

This is a rant, so don't proceed if you don't want to feel bad about the deterioration of our political system. 

Almost everyday now, those necessary-evil politicians are hugging the  local news for switching political parties left and right. Call them anything you like but they have no backbone, enslaved by those who can provide them with campaign financing, machinery, and political clout.

Here's another ugly face of politics, especially here in the Philippines. I hate those politicians who jump on the other political party in the blink of an eye, just to serve their personal interests. Gone are the days when you could separate political parties and people behind them based on their platforms, beliefs, and aspirations.  Integrity is a rare commodity on this sick nation of ours. Is there hope on our rotten political system?

There is light at the end of the tunnel, as there are few honorable congressmen (they are rare breed now) who were sane enough to act on it. I was quite surprised to have stumbled on  House Bill #3655, or the proposed Political Party Development Act of 2008, which seeks to strengthen political parties by promoting party loyalty and discipline. This bill criminalizes political turncoatism or party switching. Those who change political party affiliation will forfeit the public office they currently hold and be disqualified from running for any elective position in the next succeeding election immediately following the act of party switching. Turncoats will be barred from holding executive posts in their new party and shall be directed to return all amounts received from his or her previous party, plus a surcharge.

However, how can we expect the current Tongress to ratify the bill, when it would be against their majority's interests? Hell, the Tongress Speaker Nograles had just announced that he will be bolting to NP after being a puppet of his masters in Lakas-Kampi. This is after his deputy speaker was sworn in by a rival political party earlier today.

Somehow, the receiving political party also loose its credibility when they accept those political turncoats. But then, who could blame these political parties if they want more clout and ride with the turncoats' popularity? The majority of the voting public are too naive or stupid to see beyond those publicity stunts anyway. I would not vote for those political prostitutes or turncoats to teach them a lesson.

Let's all wish that HB 3655, anti-political dynasty bills, and other progressive bills prosper in the next tongress. When it happens, we're on our way to our political maturity.

Vote wisely on May 10!