Don't reward disloyalty

In real life, even in a real life game, we do not reward or tolerate disloyalty. A solider who deserts to the other side is a traitor. If caught, he or she is given a court martial. So, why do we tolerate our politicians defecting to another party for any reason? If, for any reason, an elected politician does not feel the 'philosophical' kinship anymore with the party they were elected under then quit and hold a by-election.

The latest defector is MP Wajid Khan. And who could forget David Emerson and the many other MPs and MLAs who have ignored the wishes of the voters in their riding and defected. Equally despicable is the party that welcomes the defector. This kind of behavior makes a total mockery of democratic principles. Politicians don't seem to care anymore what they do or say to get elected. Trading a lowly backbench opposition seat into a cabinet position with power, expense accounts and higher salary must, I guess, be worth the snub to democratic principals and the lowly voter.

I rate politicians right up there with…I was going to say snakes, but that would be insulting snakes, so I'll say….dryer lint.

Party jumping/defecting, election promises made for electoral gain never to be kept, a hit and run that goes unreported for a week or two, appointing non-elected federal cabinet ministers to gain favor in a particular province, a provincial government that sat in the legislature for less than 30 days last year, appointing people to positions that should be competed for, and on and on and on. No party is immune. And can someone explain to me why a lease on a 2005 Jetta (Mr. Fage's choice for crash testing) costs you and I $966.53 per month? Add 'not too bright' to the above list.

I for one will not vote for anyone who will not commit to a by-election should he or she decide to switch parties. But even that small commitment might be too much for the current breed of politician.

Garth Wickens,

Yarmouth