Politicians should adhere to the Pledge of Allegiance

From our elementary school years we all remember reciting the Pledge of Allegiance: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Sadly, now pledges have become one more prop in our national political theater.

Insertion of the word pledge into the showmanship of politics has become necessary because people no longer believe. Promises mean nothing. Trust in our elected officials is at an all time low. Hence the newest stunt, the pledge.

Politics have been transformed by television. We amuse ourselves to death with our desperate fix for entertainment. Pledges, red, white, blue bunting and flags in the labels make for good TV. It simplifies the complexity of issues into fleeting images flashing on the screen.

One reason for abandonment of word and promise is there are far more issues and many more people demanding. With more requests for interventions the promises to please become diluted to meaninglessness. Pleasing others is a feature of the personalities who go into politics. They want to help. They want to make a difference. They want people to like them. They want to be re-elected.

Adding to the explanation of this deluge of broken promises is that politics is so expensive. In every election there are now two campaigns, one is continuous, and the other is every two, four or six years. The first is for money. If that endeavor is lost the second is doomed. Promises are the IOUs in the necessary but unpleasant pleading for funds to afford TV ads. Television and politics are inextricably fused into a monetary syncytium. The candidates have to escalate their rhetoric to pledges to get people’s attention.

This has lead to a selection process that is more radicalized. The speech-making to become elected and stay in power has become more energetic. Therefore, on the campaign trail the rhetoric is cranked up a notch or two to pledges. Mere promises will not do.

It has not happened overnight. Historically, great things were accomplished on a handshake. A person’s word was as good as a whole army of attorneys.

This is not to say pledges are not important. They are audible or written statements of principles. They imply a commitment. They are quantifiable. They are simple and catchy. They help us remember.

So instead of putting a stop to the pageantry of pledges, politicians should limit themselves to the Pledge of Allegiance. Their vow would be one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. The biblical admonition to be one applies to civil government as well as a religious commune.