Drawing Within the Lines: Can Ethics and Politics Co-exist?
Drawing Within the Lines: Can Ethics and Politics Co-exist
?
There is a double-yellow line stretching down the center of the road, separating vehicles traveling in different directions. The line serves as a boundary maintaining safety and direction. Likewise, the "ethical line" provides an escape from the oncoming traffic of greed, dishonesty, and mistrust that approach on the political highway.
The rule is quite simple: don't cross the line.
Unfortunately, however, many of us are personally unaware of the dynamics of that "ethical line."
A professor once explained that the difference between policy and ethics is that policy, as a branch of the law, represents something that we "must" do, while ethics illustrates those things which we "ought" to do. This explanation seemed fairly simple and reasonable, until I became involved a federal party and became somewhat privy to the often-competing values of ethics, policy, legislation, and public interest.
What I have come to discover is that politics contains few absolutes, and ethics even fewer. Politicians are presented with a variety of options, a plethora of rules, much media and public pressure, and yet, ironically, these options leave our legislators in relatively uncharted waters.
The recent events in our world make it clear that we have not passed this way before the landmarks are both hostile and unfamiliar. While there has been a relatively strong call for reform of both our foreign and internal policies, any changes to our legislation, be it advances in our health care system, or the introduction of anti-terrorism legislation, clearly leave us in unfamiliar territory. Yet these changes are ones we must make and ought to make. As such, there is a positive obligation to balance the competing values of ethics and policy.
I can recall the first time I helped out in a Federal campaign in my home riding. During the lead-up to the election, I observed as my local MP candidate went from door-to-door, campaigning for his successful election. I was very surprised at the different levels of reception with which we were greeted. At one home, we met with incredible hostility. At another, we were welcomed inside for coffee. At the majority of homes, however, we found that people just wanted to tell us about their specific problems. After hearing one elderly man go on at length about his particulars troubles, my MP, after leaving that particular house, turned to me and sighed: "sometimes our job is just to listen."
In that single quote I found everything that is good and ethical about a politician -- to be a listening post and to keep a finger on the pulse of those we are elected to help, often without thought of reward or recognition.
The skills we acquire by taking part in such an endeavor, and the abilities we gain as we hone our debating and politicizing skills are not earned without an equal obligation. That obligation includes a merger of what we "must" do and what we "ought" to do. And, that obligation includes a promise that we will not cross that "ethical line."
The double-yellow line will remain solid; the massive trucks, headlights shining, that barrel down the opposite side of the road will not create a threat to our own movement and direction.
The harbor of repose created by the "ethical line" gains heightened appreciation when we can sincerely say, "Sometimes our job is just to listen."
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