Friday, July 1, 2016

Heads Of State Should Act Moderately And In A Conciliatory Manner While In Office

 
Gopher hiding in his hole cautiously surfaces...like some former heads of state
 
Some have referred to power as a drug (and a few heads of state have literally been on drugs). Some politicians take office and go on massive power trips after being elected. They engage in egregious, harmful behavior, abusing their authority to hurt the financial, social, emotional and sometimes physical safety of others. Some behave like tyrants, indulging in abusive, mean spirited behavior, fully believing the hype of being elected. However, at the end of the day, being elected head of state just means you won a popularity contest. It is what you do with it during your time in office that determines whether you will go down in history as a hero or villain, human rights activist or human rights abuser.

What I always find ironic is some, not all, heads of state having a total inability to think ahead. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know choices have consequences. You won't always be head of state. What happens when you are out of office, a new government is elected and you, your family and former government employees have to deal with real life outside the confines of being head of state. When it's over you and yours have to deal with enemies you've made and people you abused while on a power trip when in office. Hence some former heads of state retiring to heavily guarded private homes and rarely surfacing (for further reference: see George W. Bush).

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