Trillanes was hired to do a job

Antonio Trillanes IV, one time mutineer is now a Philippine Republic Senator. The Administration and its allies--- have of course their negative view of the matter. They'd be idiots not to.

On one hand, Senator Trillanes was quoted by the Inquirer as saying "this is the people's victory" and that "people are longing for change". His rhetoric of course is sweet sounding and quite true.

Centrists like myself long for change--- a government that is for the people, as much as it is by the people and of the people.

If elections poll people who they want to hire to be stewards of their estate, then politicians have got to know that if they don't do the job we voted them into office for--- then they're out. just look at the last election--- no amount of cheating can really turn the tide when people have decided to get someone into office.

isn't that fair warning?

There is nothing worst for business than to see uncertainty. There has to be something certain, something sure like a common playing field, or rules that can not be changed in the middle of the game. Sometimes it is a certainty that any political climate will not disrupt the status quo: the flow of profits that business needs as assurance. So when a guy like Trillanes executes a mutiny, things go crazy. people back off from deals because they're not certain profits will be made.

I can not speak for anybody other than myself but the reason why i voted for Trillanes was because here was a guy with stellar credentials yapping at the top of his lungs (and he has a huge voice to disrupt everyone's business) something he believes must be corrected. he wants to change the system for the better. These guys have reasonable grievances, though unacceptable their way of expressing it. (added for clarity) why not give them the opportunity to prove their worth in a positive way through the system?

what do you do with a person with stellar credentials who is a resource badly misappropriated?

The gloria macapagal-arroyo way (well to be fair, not really just her way, but really the conservatives in general that she personifies) is to alienate him. they make this person irrelevant. fundamentally nothing is wrong with such a tactic. it is quite useful.

however, If you do that--- without giving them ample opportunity to put their mouth where its worth, you'll only create terrorists and critics and detractors. not to mention, losing a perfectly good resource. such waste!

our democracy, however imperfect isn't dead nor close to dying as many may like to believe. certainly there are those who subvert elections, who cheat here and there. admittedly they may win sometimes, but generally I'd like to believe those who people want to be in, will be in. the same reason exist why there are political dynasties in the philippines. People do vote who they think is best to lead them.

how can I believe this?

I hope Senator Trillanes will not see his election as some sort of reward. Likewise, future adventurers may view the victory of Trillianes as an opportunity, a road to fame and power. Raise a ruckus, start a coup and even if you fail, you become a senator. make no mistake, they will be making the same grievous error many politicians in government have made. they underestimate our people's ability, democracy's ability to see right from wrong. people do vote who they want in: for good or ill.

i've got no hard numbers. look at nueva ecija, look at pampanga, batangas and look at Makati: they're just some of the places that for good or bad have either thrown out dynasties and powerful clans or have reasoned to reelect them.

for all the political killings and all the violence, for all the cheaters and ways to subvert our democracy, given these facts, generally speaking and given how utterly imperfect our democracy is, our people's voice can be heard.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is probably (still) pissed at the results of the election. you know what? sometimes the other guy wins. then again, may be not. Seriously, may be it is time for the president herself to reevaluate and see what the people are saying to her. what do they approve of and what is it that they don't?

Senator Trillanes and the others who've been elected, I do not know whether to congratulate you or not. you'll have your work cut out for you. You've been hired to do a job. The least of your worries is to fail to live up to people's expectations and be voted out of office in the next election. you should be more worried about failing to live up to people's expectations and if you do, come 2010, people will cease participating in the process of elections. so much is riding on your success and that of many politicians elected into office like Ed Panlilio. If you should fail, politicians being ignored will be the least of this nation's problems because what degree of apathy will exist against democratic processes then?