PASSING LANES

Political desperados at work
by Jorge Pawid

As the political campaign heats up going into its last two weeks, expect some traditional politicians pull unseen and unheard of dirty tricks up their sleeves if only to boost their candidacies at the expense of their sometimes innocent opponents.

Among these behind the back moves are mudslinging, black propaganda, and smear campaigns versus their opponents. Some will come blatantly, bluntly and confrontational. Others will come with unseen hands or those responsible hiding beyond the cloak of being anonymous.

The latter being the more sinister since the identities of the perpetrators is or are unknown to the victim candidate. Issues that have long been buried or are figments of the imagination of those responsible will be raised against their targets.

Such tactics are mostly the moves of desperate politicians who unknowingly or unconsciously are teaching and showing younger and aspiring politicians and even supporters the dirty side of politics.

Rumor-mongering, you may call it since these kind of campaign does not come directly from the camps of candidates. Although, the victim my suspect where it may have come from, there is no proof. Unless the issues contained in the black propaganda is uttered or said by a particular candidate in a public occasion like rallies, caucuses over the media against a particular political opponent; then the perpetrator or origin remains unknown.

The poor target of the black propaganda or accusations is left with no other option but to defend his/her honor and convince the electorate that the issues may be old and irrelevant or even atoned for. The results may go either way.

Sympathy for the victim or the voter falls for his/her own gullibility and accepts hook, line and sinker the accusations hurled against a certain candidate. Among the desperate candidates are those vying for a same position with several tries without success. In other words, they are the previous perennial losers (once, twice, lameducks) or even first timers gunning for seats up for election.

Sometimes, the mudslinging can even come from supporters or relatives of certain candidates who want to prop up their bets. Call this despicable. Some political camps have under their wing attack dogs assigned solely to smear the reputations of other political camps to advance their causes.

These lapdogs are a dirty bunch made up of supporters and campaign managers who are so adept in the dirty tricks department. They are the worst of them all since they may be or may be not paid to do these.

Their attacks come unfounded or half-baked. Aside from trying so desperately to advance their candidacies and make themselves clean before the voting public, their actions speak for their inability to remain overboard and change tactics that would be clean, honest and peaceful to prop themselves up.

They are those who believe in the philosophy that “the end justifies the means”. Whatever the cost. In Benguet politics, this sort of dirty-handed tactic is frowned upon by most voters. They hate to hear attacks on candidates and personalities. They do not like candidates who take the podium to advance their interests at the expense of others.

The Benguet voter would rather vote for candidates with platforms and sincere campaign speeches even if the speaker is not that eloquent. They prefer somebody who does not attack their opponents. Good track records are an advantage. Benguet voters are cold to supporters of candidates who resort to dirty tactics.

The impression is so lousy upon the supporters that even the latter are stained for their misdeeds. Some have succeeded in their candidacies by using these under-handed tricks. But they have suffered for it. Because later on, it came back to hound them. They have suffered the same fate or will soon suffer the same fate. Such is Karma at work. You do bad, it will come back to get you. Sooner or later. In any form you can imagine. So, to the candidate doing dirty tricks and tactics or to those even just thinking of doing it; forget it. Lest, the rule of Karma will bite you or even your loved ones. What you give, you take.