Rational people view politicians with distrust because everything they do is choreographed to sway voters.  Because I am not a politician, I found this characteristic most repulsive in my four terms in Montana’s House and here is why this is timely.  

 Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore rode his horse to the polls on election day.  Surrounded by journalists, the paint mare nervously pranced and it appeared a prophetical, political dumping might be eminent.  Folks unaware of which end of the horse gets up first, likely viewed Judge Moore’s mounted antics as proof he was a true country boy.  I rolled my eyes because I had seen a similar show before.  During his re-election campaign, Montana’s Governor Schweitzer broadcast ads showing himself roping and flanking a calf.  The animals in both video clips made it hysterical. 

 Unlike politicians and contrary to the teachings of Walt Disney, critters lack the mental acuity to lie.  Hiding as predator or prey, or using natural camouflage of fur and feathers are survival mechanisms not requiring the high-level reasoning of human deceit.   True deception is only found in the animal called human and everyone in politics, from pundits to journalists to elected officials, distort the truth.  For proof, look how confused the bum calf and horses were in the Moore and Schweitzer campaign clips.  The bucket calf with the milk on its nose was clueless as to why he was roped and flanked when he was just standing in the corral minding his own business.  The mouth of Governor Schweitzer’s horse must still be throbbing after the governor jerked his slack with his rein hand and the paint mare shimmying sideways under Judge Moore’s bouncing backside received similar plow reining jerks.  To the political audience, the animals were simple collateral damage for the greater good and this brings me to my point.