‘Politician’ should not be a dirty word | Letter

Frequently, one hears disparaging comments about “politics.” Nobody these days wants to be tainted with “politics.” The term “career politician” is now often equated with something distasteful and self-serving.

But the word “politics” is rooted in the word “policy.” And policy is the merging of ethical behavior with economic commitment. How we spend our money reflects our cultural morality.

This administration has decided that government is — by nature — immoral. The uncoupling of ethical behavior, with spending, is the legacy of the modern Republican Party, since it views ethical government as an oxymoron.

Some of us long for the good old days when policy was more than personal enrichment and power — and “politics” was more than shorthand for criminality.

Kurt Lauenstein
Portland

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Tagged: letter to the editor