Recycled politicos, recycled ideas

We are a people who love recycling things. We are also sentimental. We don't throw things away as easily as Americans do to their underperforming or nonperforming television.

It's fine if we always do that to things. But in politics?

Recycling politicians should not be encouraged. When people already told you that you're not fit for public service, accept it. That's God talking to you (Vox Populi vox Dei).

Defeated candidates should never be encouraged to try it out again in politics nor in the bureaucracy. When a local candidate loses, it just shows that his very own neighbours distrust him. Why give him a government post?

Same goes to a losing candidate in the national front. Will you give him a Cabinet post when you already know that people distrust him? A public position is a public trust. Losing an election means people don't trust you.

Recycling politicos is a malaise in our socio-political system. Look at this new administration. Count how many new, bright and idealistic faces who now works for Pnoy. Not many eh? Count how many people who once worked for previous administrations now occupy sensitive posts in the Pnoy government. Are you still surprised why things remained the same? It is because Pnoy just recycled the same old names who once worked for Erap, FVR and Arroyo, even those who were still loyal to his deceased mother, and re-activated them to their old posts.

If this is the case, it only means that this administration wants people whom it can trust rather than people with competence. So, its a power game. The closer you are, the better. Its simply not enough that you're more qualified, the better.

Or maybe this administration confuses trust with competence, or competence with trust.