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14 October 2003 Demo-crazy
MY American friends, many
of whom are California residents, have all been pretty glum following
the election of Arnold (Arnie) Schwarzenegger as governor of California.
One of them e-mailed me, "Are we going the way of the
Philippines?" -- a reference to our having elected actors and
actresses, basketball players and other mass media celebrities to posts
as high as the presidency.
I e-mailed him back immediately, "I beg your pardon. And who taught
us to adore celebrities, electing them into public office?"
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We Filipinos tend to put
ourselves down, blaming "ignorance" and "lack of
education" as the reasons Joseph Estrada became president. But we
forget that the Americans elected actor Ronald Reagan as California
governor back in the 1960s, and eventually president of the United
States.
It is memories of Reagan's terms as California governor and US president
that have gotten my American friends so nervous. Reagan was a
conservative Republican who cut back on taxes for upper income brackets,
then whittled down spending for social services. There are fears that
Arnie, also a Republican, will take a similar course as governor.
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People elect Erap,
not Joseph Estrada, and the Terminator rather than
Schwarzenegger ...these personalities give people a sense that
they're dealing with a benevolent demigod rather than the
traditional manipulative politician.
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But this is not
the time to talk about Schwarzenegger's ideological leanings. What we
should note here is that the election of celluloid heroes -- whether
"Erap" Estrada or Arnie -- to public office can't be explained
simply as a function of "dumb" voters. What needs to be
examined here is the way an electoral system of democracy can be
manipulated.
We like to believe that having elections is the hallmark of democracy.
Yet we've seen, in the United States, the Philippines, India and many
other countries, that elections, particularly at the national level,
often degenerate into name recall, and never mind the candidates' skills
or experience with governance.
So much attention has been focused on action star Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ)
possibly running for the presidency, and winning. But no one has
analyzed why Senator Noli de Castro has been topping the public opinion
polls when it comes to a possible president.
I'm surprised with how well De Castro is doing because his record in the
Senate has been rather flat. I cannot recall him sponsoring any bill or
resolution of major import. Yet I suspect this low profile in the
legislative body is actually part of De Castro's strategy: staying
non-controversial, even while building his public image in the
broadcasting field, through his weekly program "Magandang Gabi
Bayan." In other words, if he ever becomes president, it will not
be because of his accomplishments as a public official but because of
his still more powerful alter ego, "Kabayan" [Compatriot] Noli.
No wonder our politicians are now taking up the reverse tactic of
becoming media celebrities to enhance their political standing, either
while still in office or to make a political comeback. Among others,
Senator Loren Legarda, former senator Ernie Maceda and former interior
secretary Alfredo Lim all have radio and television programs where they
can build their constituencies.
"The best argument," Winston Churchill once said, "is a
five-minute conversation with the average voter." Perhaps, perhaps.
But I would also look into the possibility that people vote for actors
and actresses not just because they're dazzled by the stars but because
they are now so terribly cynical about politics.
People think of actors and actresses and basketball players as, well,
actors and actresses and basketball players. They elect Erap, not Joseph
Estrada, and the Terminator rather than Schwarzenegger, and maybe in the
future, we will have Kabayan Noli rather than Senator Noli as president.
These personalities give people a sense that they're dealing with a
benevolent demigod rather than the traditional manipulative politician.
But you know after all's said and done, we really have to question why
we've reached this point where we're wondering if we're living in a
demo-crazy rather than a democracy, described this way in a text message
that has been going around: "Philippine democrazy. Poor the people.
Off the people. Buy the people. That's what we have. Philippine
democrazy. Gloria Pidal for President."
A "democrazy," whether in the United States or the
Philippines, doesn't just happen. Behind the electoral circuses, behind
every politician are rich and powerful financiers, particularly from big
business. In fact, business backers know that it is often a better
investment to support actors (if you can call Schwarzenegger one) and
actresses, who come with a ready-made bloc of voters.
Where does all this leave Tita Gloria? She knows she has to play the
spin game, and boy, does she try. But there are limits to what mass
media and spin doctors can do, even when they try to have her bask in
the reflected glory of God, the Pope, Bush and Cardinal Sin. That is why
we need to be so much more vigilant. So lacking in sincerity and in
telegenic qualities, but harboring an incredible hulk of an ambition,
there's a strong possibility Tita Gloria will resort more and more to
Terminator tactics to win in 2004. Crazy or not, what's left of our
democratic institutions are at least keeping her reined in -- for now.
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