Asked about some of the personal attacks he is suffering as a result of becoming the front runner among Republican Presidential candidates, Mike Huckabee had this reply.

He commented that politics is not a game played on a field with people in striped shirts to referee. Therefore, candidates must be prepared at all times to defend themselves.

We would comment that the reason these personal attack tactics are used is that they work. The reason the tactics work is that voters allow them to work. The reason voters allow the tactics to work is that voters have forgotten (or failed to learn in the first place) the purpose, rules and definitons of politics. This lack of knowledge has been replaced in too many cases by a blind loyalty to one side or the other.

Instead of voters being the referees and applying a set of rules consistently to the actual performance of politicians, voters have become spectators. As spectators, voters take the attitude that whatever my side does is right and whatever your side does is wrong.

The result is polarized politics and a tolerance of inconsistency and poor performance by government.

If voters hope to break the grip of polarized politics and get good performance from government, then they must discover for themselves the purpose, definitions and rules of politics that offers the most benefits to the widest number of people for the longest period of time. Once voters do this, they will elect moderate, balanced candidates who will provide consistent and robust performance.

How do you discover for yourself the purpose, definitions and rules of politics which will, in turn, get rid of polarized politics? Get an adjustment to your political philosophy in the same way you would have the wheels aligned and tires balanced on your tires. Subscribe to our blog, read our book, and suggest others do the same.