State Of The Union

My fellow Americans, 

I had an interview with the new mayor of Highland last week, for a position I am interested in. And you know when you first meet someone and you can just tell they are good and normal? That's how I felt about our new mayor, and it made me happy. Anyways, I think the interview went well but was asked a question that completely flabbergasted me (it is sort of embarrassing to admit, so don't make fun of me). It was a straight forward enough question, and I think I answered it just fine in the interview on the outside, but let me explain how my head reacted on the inside when the question was posed. It was like the mayor had written the question on a rubber band and then pulled it big, aimed it at my skull and let it go. My brain freaked out! And that question has been bouncing around in there ever sense.
THE QUESTION IS THIS: Do you think the planning commission should be influenced by politics?
That’s it. Really simple. But I can’t comprehend it.
Maybe because it’s a poor question. Isn't it sorta vague?  
This question had me doubting everything I ever knew... what does the word politics even mean? Why is it plural? What’s a politic? 
One definition of politics is “the use of intrigue or strategy in obtaining any position of power or control”. If that’s what he meant, then the answer is No. Another definition is “a process by which groups of people make collective decisions” if that is what he meant… then the obvious answer is Yes, that is what the planning commission is set up for. By politics does he mean influential parties, like democrat vs republican, liberal vs conservative? Does he mean “the political principals and sympathies of a person”… if so, then I don’t understand the question, isn’t everything we do influenced by this?

Did you know the word ‘politic’ is an adjective and means shrewd, wise, tactful? Other synonyms being adroit, advisable, canny, cool, delicate, diplomatic, discreet, judicious, on the lookout, prudent, sensible, sharp, smooth? 
All those words seem pretty good to me, so why do I cringe every time I hear of things getting “political”? or of “back room politics”? Most of the time when I hear the words politics I think of back-stabbing, propaganda, name-calling, mud-flinging and dishonesty.

But it seems to me (the more it's bounced around in my head) that politics are good. At least individual politics. It's simple and pure. Politicians would like us to think that what they do is very hard and complicated, but it's not. Politics should all start within... your own personal view of what is right, decent, good, prudent and wise. What YOU think is diplomatic, smooth and sensible. Your own moral fiber. How you think people ought to be treated. I think politics should come from common sense, and should make sense.
I also have come to realize that politics should be fueled by love for our fellow men. I OFTEN wonder how I turned out conservative when I was raised by a woman who leans to the left on most issues, votes democrat and who likes obama. But it's because I was raised out of love, my parents wanted the best for me... and, I think, that made the rules and guidelines in our home, naturally, more conservative than liberal.
My dad has always said if a teacher ever hit us for mis-behaving in class, we'd come home and he would hit us again. My mom always says if we get arrested, put into jail and call her up to come get us out, she'd tell us we were on our own and let us spend the night behind bars. In my house the phrase is "guilty until proven innocent". I have also been taught to stick up for myself, do the honorable thing, don't follow the crowd, and been given the "okay" to defend myself if I need to. Us kids have had to work to pay for our missions, college and cars. Even if my parents had the money to help us all out with everything, they would still make us work to support ourselves. We are to be kind, courteous and respectful. There are no rewards for good behavior, it is just expected of us. There are no hand outs, no excuses, no crutches, nothing... just be good.
And while we aren't allowed to be weak and use lame excuses for poor behavior, my mom will rush to the defense of any stranger who does just that. Whenever I complain about someone my mom will say "Whitney, she's probably just having a bad day" or "Don't be so judgmental, we don't know their background" or "don't jump to conclusions, he may have a mental illness that makes him that way." And it totally shocks me how she can be so open-minded about people who appear to lack any sort of human decency... but won't give us any lean way. And it's not that my mom loves the public more than she loves us (her kids), in fact just the opposite is true. She loves us way more, so she wants us to work harder and she holds us to a higher standard. She's a parent and wants the best for us, and sometimes that means that we don't get what we want... but allows us to work hard to become something and to earn what we deserve. We have to blaze our own trails to becoming whatever it is we want to be (which my parents always said, could be anything). Thus, making us better and stronger and wiser humans. And hopefully, in the end, that makes us more free.
Shouldn't politics be as simple as parenting and knowing what's good for your kid? Shouldn't the same principals be put into the government? Isn't that how God parents us?
...I don't know, just a few thoughts. And I could go on and on, and this could lead into an hundred different other thoughts and ideas. But I feel like getting some of this all out in a post will stop the ricochet of the rubber band in my brain just a little. Wish I could go back and answer that question over again. Or at least go back and ask what he meant.

Thanks for humoring me.If you read this whole thing you are weird. And we need to have dinner together some time.
I was listening to Mark Stein the other day and he mentioned this article. I thought it was pretty funny.