He's A Rare One

Unfortunately, not quite rare enough. As a representative of the species politici, he perhaps comes in dead centre. Little wonder the public has scant trust of politicians. Or lawyers. Or used-car salesmen currently tearing off their toupees in fruitless attempts to offload vans and SUVs. As for the lawyers, those staunch and upright defenders of justice who fall all over one another in their eagerness to earn a profile and the accompanying notoriety by defending rapists, serial murderers and terrorists, they're only in second place.

Ah, it's the politicians, those rare birds society breeds who aspire to control the lives of mundane citizens wishing nothing better than to live mundane lives. The political elite who manage to reach high office by one contrivance or another; those exemplars of integrity, honesty and passionate embrace of the public weal. When we actually discover the true and real presence of that minuscule proportion who do aspire to work zealously on behalf of their country and its citizenry, we hardly know how to react.

Generally speaking, those good and honest politicos are so meek and mild and incapable of enthusing a crowd that they rarely achieve high office, but rather stumble about in the back ground helplessly attempting through one overture after another to do public good, while entreating their fellow politicians to do likewise. We vote in those flashy charlatans who know a good line and spout it endlessly until their mantra fuels our belief.

This latest rant refers to additional charges being brought against Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Beefing up the already-existing fraud charges (sorry, allegations) to include evidence that he had busied himself feverishly with neat little successes to cheat charitable groups of their hard-won assets. Charities, for example, such as those that assist soldiers, mentally disabled children, and the physically handicapped.

Not exactly the most robust demographics of any society; certainly to be included as among the most vulnerable. A country's warriors superannuated due to physical and mental breakdown; children genetically incapable of reaching any semblance of intellectual normalcy, and those in society whose disabilities leave them at a distinct disadvantage in the market of life.

Oh yes, this humble politician also thought nothing of illicitly taking funds from Yad Vashem, thus honouring, in his inimitable manner, the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

This sterling example of political accomplishment obviously felt he was entitled to live in the style he believed he could accustom himself to. He developed a scheme whereby he would address various groups during his trips, asking each individually to fund his air fare abroad. While simultaneously billing his trips to government. In the process, managing to pocket a modestly neat excess figure of $100,000.

That, of course, just tops up the cash payments he received from business people who felt obliged by his status as an influential and knowledgeable politician, to indulge his constant, casual and self-entitled requests for cash - for no particular purpose other than that he felt he could indulge in his particular kind of graft. This emphasizes the difficult life of a hard-working politician, who gives his all to his preoccupation with helping others.

The money thus raised, elevated his standard of living to fund personal vacations, while mayor of Jerusalem. He had help; a travel agency that was pleased to aid and assist him in his fraudulent occupation. But the good man soldiers bravely on, vowing to continue challenging the charges brought against him. His good name sullied. But, should he be indicted, in the end, he will graciously stand down from his position as Israel's prime minister.

Enabling others to carry on. Wasn't there a story just recently about Ehud Barak, the current defence minister, latterly another prime minister of the country, having similarly indulged in questionable financial activities? Well, at least Ehud Olmert indulged only in material abuse of public trust. Unlike Israel's former president who smeared his public office with the stench of gender aggression and the atrocity of rape.

Who's up next?