Political Reality

September 30, 2022

Political Reality 

Padmini Arhant

Politics marred with apprehensions from within and outside evolving into great deal of insecurity regarding threats to the seat of power and position is no secret. 

From Julius Caesar days and even earlier in any religion inception and until now politics is eclipsed in betrayal, treason, malfeasance and abuse of power…among myriad common political abnormality.

What is the worst fear in contemporary politics?

Truth, facts and real democracy.

The prevalent fake political era premised on falsehood, fabrication and fraudulence is a convenient setting to camouflage fiduciary feudalist system i.e. proxy representing oligarchy, monarchy, domestic and foreign agenda, religious ideology and lofty personal aspirations beyond reality.

The politics founded and rooted in the process of elimination for rise to power and dominance resigned to impropriety and unaccountability proliferate in crimes and criminal legacy.

As for corruption, politics is the host and the ghost with the most corrupt dealings in quid pro quo and illegal practice held above law while the latter applicable to law abiding citizenry in society to the fullest extent and opponent subject to political witch hunt at taxpayers’ expense.

The corruption in lucrative government contracts with economic sector and foreign governments along with politics as appointees of campaign financiers and lobbyists enable and facilitate wealth amassment for political members and the apparatus during the term in office.

Not surprisingly, politics is cash cow for political members from rank and file to rookie and others presenting themselves on campaign trails as people from humble modest economic background with student loans and credit card debts to the hilt transformed into millionaire, multi-millionaire and billionaire status almost overnight.

Not to mention them securing own retirement and long term future for them and their next generations including reservations in elite educational institutions for their children based on political class family rather than merit is part and parcel of political career. 

These facilities are extended over a long period of time with lifetime perks and privileges as the norm with little or no concern over the financial burden on the ordinary serving the presumptuous extraordinary extravagance.

Juxtaposed the same members have no problems in passing laws stripping retirement savings and medical aid to defense force foot soldiers and front line men and women witnessed recently in the so-called world’s largest democracy or for that matter the western so-called democracy having health, finance and energy industry…to name a few in the economic sector – the primary political campaign donors exploit average consumers with company policy designed to benefit oligarchs’ mega profitability extracting maximum from mainstream work force and consumers at the bottom.

Politics essentially in service to safeguard elitism enhancing and empowering personal and vested interests at the vast majority misery and generational suffering.

The political power trepidation is mainly related to losing authority and control.

Accordingly, adopting various tactics mostly unlawful methods from bribes to intimidation or incentives are deployed to lure opposition, judiciary and the rest to kowtow politics.

The political preparedness to remain in power as life long authority otherwise authoritarian rule begins with wiping opposition having organized media chorus not excluding the disguised so-called investigative journalism – the worst kind hired by authority for mass deception on press freedom.

The authority represented so-called non-mainstream media pleading public monetary support is actually engaged by politics to discredit authentic investigative and independent publications revealing information, incidents and events seeking explanations and openness from politics and incognito power declared a forbidden act.

Politics having little or no opposition in the political front with press and assortment media combined silenced by buying them outright, similar strategy on judiciary and prominent political affiliates in government and private sector guaranteed mutual conciliatory offers – the stage is set for politics to execute devious agenda.

Any exposure in this context is conveniently referred to as conspiracy theory despite knowing well there is no smoke without fire.

The general public left on their own to fight against politics’ complicity on all issues hurting citizens economically, financially and socially are usually handled with brute force and laws in reserve to curb genuine peaceful dissent.

Again politics rejecting the factor on law enforcement and courts paid for and provided by tax payers as consumers and labor community in return turned against them.

Who is left to challenge corrupt power?

The military in many countries toppling governments and assuming power as military junta is not uncommon. These activities are also promoted by foreign powers to destabilize nations that are contrarily used by despotic governance to justify undemocratic rule as well. 

Nonetheless, the military indirect involvement via surrogate government is yet another form in the diverse pattern of governance.

In pseudo democracy, the political authority desirous of tenure position conforming to dictatorial regime address the potential military resistance to authoritarianism with tacit duplicity.

The manner in which politics address any possible scenario from military against the totalitarian political style especially in a waning democracy is by restructuring military institution.

For example, the tradition in a Parliamentarian democracy with Prime Minister on limited terms as the head of the executive branch in charge of government administration is accountable to people, the electorate represented Parliament and constitutional rule of law governing democracy.

On the other hand, the President in the same government dispensation though misconceived as mere ceremonial figure expected to preside over Parliamentary proceedings at the national level and state union affairs in the provincial political issues besides serving as the military commander-in-chief in the original concept.

However, this format and Presidential functionality superseded is noteworthy. 

How this is subverted by the government executive branch in the present so-called democratic environment merit attention?

The Presidential election is an electoral college exercise. The political parties and members at the national and regional forum are easily swayed with rewards in cash and kind to vote for the ruling party Presidential nominee. The ruling power sponsored candidate prevailing over the name-sake contender from the opposition parties for Presidential post in Parliamentary set up is the regular outcome.

The President rather than being the stabilizing power and the authority to maintain checks and balances is typically appointed to the office as the ruling political party envoy carrying out the executive branch orders.

Lately, in Indian system the Presidential function as the military commander-in-chief is disposed with the creation of the chief of defense staff (CDS) post manning entire defense force with army, naval and air force brought under the CDS ambit reporting to the Prime Minister and not the President.

The Prime Minister is now the head of the military through the installation of Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) in the overt transfer of power.

What does this mean in a democracy?

The notion of separation of power for legitimate reasons to avert concentration of power in government body is systematically rendered obsolete.

The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) appointee is expected to meet the criteria i.e. falling in line by voicing support or echoing sentiments in agreement with Prime Minister’s controversial and contentious policy on national issues regardless of adverse consequences with the probability affecting unity and uniformity in defense force.

The picture is clear having brought military under executive branch viz. Prime Minister oversight through CDS authorizing attractive defense ventures like the explosive Indo-French Rafale defense scandal to arbitrary military decisions not barring military strikes and interventions embedded in the supreme command title. 

The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) directly reporting to the Prime Minister office fortify the executive branch with absolute power leaving no opportunity or possibility of endangerment to politics’ transition from democracy to autocracy. 

The political authority absorbing power in every aspect with democracy displaced in the systemic omission of constitutional rights paralyzing democratic values is a serious devolution of fragile pluralist society led into majoritarian fundamentalist mobocracy. 

When oligarchy and various sources (?) funded politics is hopelessly relying on massive propaganda and indoctrination for survival, that kind of politics is indicative of precipitous decline and dissipation. The desperate times prompting desperate actions. The monetized accolades contradictory to actuality is nothing more than megalomania frenzy.

Poignantly, where will politics be without cronyism and sycophancy ad nauseam?

In the dumpster for sure gutter and goon politics in particular living up to its reputation in anything and everything.

As such, transparency and ethics oxymoron to politics, plutocracy reining supremacy is paradoxical political factuality.

Anything destructive and counterproductive is unsustainable and politics is experienced and seasoned in imminent fall due to misguided misinterpretation of power. 

Padmini Arhant 

Author & Presenter 

PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com 

Political Reality

July 25, 2017

Political Reality

By Padmini Arhant

Politics is never known to be civil, engaging, honest and trustworthy. More so the politics in disguise, propaganda based, devious and plain wicked with personal and vested interests infiltrating and imposing at every opportunity wherever and whenever possible creating political stalemate.

The Secret society members and foreign sources as the closest allies represented in politics, media and other domains pledging allegiance to anti-humanity and anti-progress objectives are on self-defeating course having exhausted time and resources in deflecting public attention from issues concerning them, the nation and the world at large. 

As for the rest of political class, those lacking courage and will to stand up to forces against efficient governance benefitting electorate are wasting taxpayers money in the absence of  positive and productive representation.  The voters grant legitimacy to the mantle of power despite flurry of campaign donations from near and far in the bid to any posts in public service.

The collusion to disrupt functionality and distort information with certain prominent press and media playing major role is a clear sign of democracy under siege. Not to mention travesty of sovereignty undermined in the overwhelming threat to citizens seeking a better and secure future without continuous interventions from entities committed to conflate and extrapolate decisions. 

Not surprisingly, the secrecy and aversion to reality disposed to ambush mentality exacerbating absolute control and authority.

Nothing is meant forever with expiry on all things both tangible and otherwise.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter PadminiArhant.com

Spouse in Divine Mission