Cappuccino cumpulsions: A better bad habit for politicians
My fingers flew across the keyboard, and every sound in the office — the radio, phone conversations and the disgruntled hum of our renegade office printer — seemed amplified. I suddenly felt alive as sweet nectar coursed through my veins. I gave up coffee about a month ago, but realized at that moment that I had replaced my cappuccino compulsion with an equally-problematic, four-cup-a-day tea addiction. I feel like I'm always exchanging one bad habit for another.
Of course, I'm not the only person with bad habits. I knew a girl who used to gnaw her fingernails perpetually. Some people snap gum, crack their knuckles, text message constantly or belt out every song on the radio. These little neuroses are essentially harmless and, I suppose, make each of us sort of special.
What concerns me, though, as we near the apex of another election season, is a bad habit many of our political figures seem to be suffering from: failing to tell the truth. The consequences extend beyond a news cycle and threaten the willingness of our next generation of voters to engage in the political process.
Even a cursory list of politicians caught with their pants down — figuratively and literally - or their hands in the proverbial cookie jar would require more space than I have to work with. I assume, too, that most politicians, or at least their minion staff members, spend a great deal of time keeping abreast of current issues by watching television news and reading newspapers. It follows, then, that they are acutely aware of the several-day firestorm that follows when one of their colleagues is caught in a lie, mired in nefarious financial dealings or discovered to have engaged in behavior that would make Jerry Springer blush. Is it ego, delusion or subconscious self-sabotage that makes these very public figures believe they won't get caught?
As an aside, I wonder how many times we'll have to watch the shell-shocked, glassy-eyed wife of a cheating politician, perfect in her pantsuit, pearls and shellacked hair, "stand by her man" as camera bulbs flash and an empty apology is uttered through gritted teeth.
Perhaps the media is partially to blame for the lackadaisical attitude most politicians have toward lying. The press often seems to descend on scandals with disturbing ecstasy, but - like a kid trying to choose between too many flavors of ice cream - is quick to move on to the next, more enticing scoop. The burden, then, falls on the shoulders of voters to expect more from our leaders.
My generation is watching our friends, classmates and siblings depart to fight a seemingly endless war. It's unlikely we will ever see our share of the Social Security dollars that are skimmed off of the top of every hard-earned paycheck. Our health care system is in turmoil. We're expected to be fiscally responsible, and yet our government has no problem spending funds it doesn't have. We're uncertain about our future for so many reasons, and my perception is that many young people - myself included - are beginning to lose faith in our leaders to make the tough decisions necessary to turn our country around before it's too late.
Our message to politicians needs to loud and clear: Respect us enough to know we can handle the truth. Give up the deeply ingrained habits of lying, pandering, sugar-coating and sacrificing the interest of our country for your own political gains. For the sake of all of the "little guys" you've promised to fight for - particularly the next generation of voters - take up coffee drinking instead.