Is PNoy's Liberal Party preparing the ground for the return of the trapos? And some notes on surveys....

PNoy and the Liberal Party (LP) have just lost their chance at this opportune moment to effectively contribute to the movement for political reforms! Very disappointing. I hope that the fear that I had expressed before won't happen: the possibility that PNoy and LP will just prepare the ground for the return of the trapos!

PNoy and the LP could have gambled on the fresh and young in the national elections, namely, Erin Tañada, Joel Villanueva, and Ruffy Biazon—all decent, competent, young politicians who have long been doing very well including in their current posts in the House of Representatives, TESDA, and Bureau of Customs, respectively—rather than the trapos whose names are not worth mentioning here. They have underestimated their political-electoral machinery (especially that the administration is a strong force in 'local' politics); they have overestimated the trapos in the opposition and, in effect, insulted the Filipino electorate (leaving us no other choice but the rubbish); and they have listened to SWS, Pulse Asia, and other polling firms (instead of following their hearts and doing their mission for a new epoch of progressive politics formation).

PNoy and the LP may not be realizing consciously that in the coalition they are forging now, they are actually engaged in the process of political 'class formation' that has tremendous implications for the country's prospects for social change. They are building a coalition of a potential ruling class—in the process of becoming itself—for the current and future Philippine society. Our political-economic history tells that the vested interests PNoy and the LP have allied with in this election are not credible and deserving of being part of a true 'reform coalition' for the so-called 'straight path'. 

One big fail here for PNoy and the LP leadership! Boo! 

P.S.1. And this is why I'm against having personality-based surveys before elections. Again, who benefit the most from these personality-based results? Only the political parties whose decisions on who they should field in as candidates are determined by these surveys! In this sense, and in the context of contemporary Philippine money politics and electoral structure, surveys do not serve the interests of a kind of democracy where people are free to run for public office and where electorates are free to choose the best among willing and able servants of the people.  

P.S.2. Of course, as a student of the social sciences, I am not to question the integrity and accuracy of surveys—especially of the SWS and Pulse Asia—simply because I believe in the science behind them or their proven scientific methodology. 

P.S.3. But, time and again, a pattern of voting behavior has emerged among Filipino voters, a behavior that validates Keynes' 'beauty contest analogy' in the study of stock markets. In general, a Filipino voter has the tendency to vote for who s/he thinks the others will also vote for. In other words, they vote for who they think will win, and not necessarily the candidates with the best character, competence, intentions, and platforms. 

P.S.4. Here's my wishful thinking for Philippine 'electoral reforms' and political democracy: that personality-based surveys should be banned before elections; and that only surveys asking preferred qualities/character of candidates be asked to respondents. In doing so, elections in the Philippines will be like a 'horserace' where candidates do not know how much is bet on them. 

P.S.5. Oh yes, I acknowledge a philosophical point on how would I know anyway that horses in the horserace do not know who are llamados (leading) or dehados (trailing behind)! ;-) 

Thanks PNoy and LP for denying us the liberal freedom to choose the best people for the government, for the country, for our future! 

And BOO, more BOOs, and much BOOs to the crappy senatorial slate of the opposition - same names, same faces, same trapos who are part of the country's elites that have stolen the hopes and dreams of Filipinos for a better and dignified life in the past and at present!!! But, hopefully, not in the future.