photo by me

I’ve been listening to some podcasts on rhetoric lately. Last night I was listening to one about the Roman rhetoricians (specifically Cicero). Most of this I have studied in my classes but I think that some of it went by so fast that I missed it.

One of the main tenets of Roman rhetorics (and politics) was that they put integrity way above anything else when it came to holding a respected position within the Senate. Of course, you had to be well-connected and wealthy in order to even get in to the Senate (although Cicero was an anomaly in this – neither well-connected nor wealthy but intelligent and convincing beyond imagination).

I’m sure this changed over time. I mean, there was plenty of back-stabbing in the ancient Roman Senate (et tu Brutus?). But they really tried to make the offices those that were respected and deserved that respect.

Fast forward.

The Democrats aren’t even in office yet and there are rumors of bribes and improprieties. Barak Obama has a real estate connection with a man who is known to play dirty politics. Pelosi is aligning herself with a man who refuses to vote in favor of ethics reforms.

Where is the integrity in our representative government?

Are there no untarnished people left who go to work in government?

Is everyone corrupt?

Is it possible to hold an elected position and not be corrupt?

I’m at the point of where I won’t trust anything that anyone says because they are all out for themselves. It’s all about *memememe* not the common people.

Yeah, yeah…the Romans weren’t about the common people either. But at least they put integrity at the top of their priorities.