What Price Success

Anyone who has knowledge of Louisiana politics should agree that if a candidate intends to be successful, that person must first become one of the Good Ole Boys! Many of those entering political campaigns without ever intending to become part of the clique are seldom elected in the first place or, if they do accidentally make it into office, are defeated when they seek re-election.

The reason for this vicious cycle is that even though people all over the country – especially Louisiana, criticize politicians, they are the very ones responsible for this type of government! It is my observation that many or most voters support candidates who promise special favors. Few voters vote for candidates because of their qualifications and when promised favors are not imminent, those public officials are usually defeated in the next election – in spite any good service those persons might have provided for their offices!

Public officials accomplish some actions without ever crossing any guidelines, in which case everything works out fine for all parties concerned. However, when these public servants have to step on toes or make waves to get the right things done, they may have a big problem – they might accomplish their goal, but the price they will have to pay for standing up to the big boys will be defeat in their next election or sometimes a much worse fate!

When an official does a favor for one of his or her constituents, they make one or more individuals happy, but many others envious of both the politician and the person receiving the special consideration. This is because everyone normally wants this same salvaging – hence the old saying, “You make one person happy and many angry!” Those who do not care for that official in the first place will use this as an excuse to bring the official down! If the official violates any law to help a constituent or friend, and that official has made enemies while in office, those adversaries will either not re-elect the public official next time or they may make sure the official ends up in worse trouble! As I see it, there is no way any public official can please all their constituents all the time! If defeated because they made the big boys angry with them, this is usually a blessing in disguise - even though they do not realize it at the time!

Many voters support politicians who continue to grant favors to them! When one simple request is not forthcoming, the constituent becomes an adversary! Hence, the next old saying, “It’s not what you did for me yesterday, but what you do for me today!” The life of a politician in Louisiana is extremely difficult and politicians must love their work to remain in office!

The most important lesson to learn in politics is that political groups or bodies usually unite in support of each other! If any one member attempts to expose the wrongdoing or incompetence of another, that member will be in extreme danger! The group will attack anyone presenting charges with great viciousness! The reason for this devotion may be that the other officials feel they are protecting themselves in the process!

In short, if you want to remain in office and in politics, support the team! If you are an honest individual who happened to make it to the top in your profession and want to do a good job for your people, you may not survive the political arena! You will be required to make decisions that challenge other public officials and if this occurs, you must either be strong enough politically to reject the pressure you will come under or fall in defeat to the mercy of those in control! There is no limit to the misery you will have to suffer for your actions of honesty and integrity! Such is the way things go in Louisiana politics and I will reflect mainly on the political world of a small Louisiana parish. No parish in Louisiana is unique, but politics in some parishes are probably more intense than in others.

The following story is a work of fiction and only a reflection of the author’s experiences in life as a politician himself! The characters and events in this story are all imaginary and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Any wonder otherwise, is only the reader’s own mind! Even though the names and events are fictional, the basic principles are very real in this author’s mind of a young man who accomplishes something no other educator in his parish had ever been able to achieve. Once he reached that final objective, all those who had previously tried to attain that goal, decide to bring him and his educational system down, out of envy and jealousy! It is similar to the old story of “burning down the barn to get rid of the rats.”

This is what happens to the young educator in this story, who makes it to the top in his profession. When he succeeds in doing what all others had tried and failed to do for generations, his opposition finds a way to charge, indict, convict and sentence him to prison!

Just as the apple tree was cut down out of envy and jealousy of the person who first reached the top to pick the last apple, the politicians annihilated a school system and Superintendent who made his educational organization the best it had ever been in that parish’s history!