So what is politics anyway?

The other day on the radio I heard a snippet from someone who I thought was from the opposition party commenting on a new change that the government had made. It was a fairly objective view with the person talking about the benefits the change could bring about while putting across what he thought were the loopholes. Through the whole interview I had a niggling feeling that something seemed wrong. And then it clicked – it was objective – which I’ve NEVER heard a politician be. And then I realised that in fact he was not a spokesman for the opposition but from a not-for-profit organisation (he was ‘national secretary’ for something – and I just heard the ‘National’ and assumed he was from the National party). So yeah – the record on politicians (from what I’ve heard so far) still stands.

But seriously, doesn’t it sometimes feel that all politics consists of is finding fault in your opposition rather than come up with genuine changes for the good of the country/city. I just looked up dictionary.com for their definition of the word politics – apparently its “The art of science of government or governing” – which makes perfect sense. Except we now use the word politics to describe playing dirty. Again from dictionary.com (yes it truly is the digital age, with me quoting the website rather than Webster’s!) – “Play politics - to deal with people in an opportunistic, manipulative, or devious way”. Isn’t that hilarious. A word that was born to describe governing is now used as a synonym for being opportunistic.

So when did that happen? Or has it always been that way? Is there absolutely anything that could be done to change it. I wish I had the answer, but I don’t. I’m not trying to criticize any particular person or party but just politics as a whole. If all politicians spend their entire time analyzing what the others did wrong, when will they do their real job – govern the country?