day no. 17,503: the promises of princes

"Honest men should always and at all times deal plainly and honestly. And therefor the most honest means before things be done, is to be wise and circumspect: and to foresee the end, what mischief may follow, before they suddenly, rashly, and unadvisedly consent to anything. To use such honest wisdom and foresight, is permitted both by God's word and nature. Yea God's word and nature command honest men to use it. For those things that can but once be done, and whereon so great weigh the angels, ought to be well done. Therefor men ought not to give credit to fair words, large promises, and great oaths (for these are the instruments to deceive the honest and well meaning) but the fairer the oaths, the more to suspect. For godly and honest things may be well enough done without painted and smooth words, fair promises, and oaths. There ought to be such equality in doing of things, that such deceits need not. Only subtlety and craft devised long writings, great promises, and many solemn ceremonies. When the great marriage was treated in the Privy Council and so great promises made, the old Duke of Norfolk said that they were golden words, but how shall they be performed, he asked? Afterward when it was propounded to the lords in Parliament to be ratified, the Lord Windsor in like manner asked who should be surety for the performance thereof, and who should sue the forfeit? No other of them lacked wisdom and foresight, to see that under painted paper, much mischief was hidden." — John Ponet, A Short Treatise on Political Power

Nothing is easier to make than a promise and few things are harder to keep. It gets you everything you want now without any obligation to endure anything you don't want later. And the grander the words and more extravagant the words used to enforce the promise, the more dangerous they are. Things well said do not produce things well done. Any to Ponet's point, sometimes the better said the words the more skeptical one should be about how they will be applied.

"And because public matters of a realm, that concern all and every man's life, wife, children, lands, goods, and what so ever can not be trod upon by all men, but all must put their trust in a few: men ought to be wise and circumspect whom they trust." — John Ponet, A Short Treatise on Political Power

Campaign promises are only as good as the person's record to deliver on past promises. If they are new to the office, you have to judge whether or not you believe the person, but if they are running for re-election, you need look no further than their previous campaign and their recent stint in office. Compare and contrast what they said they would do with what they did.

“It is obvious that a politician often passes the first half of his life in explaining that he can do something, and the second half of it in explaining that he cannot.” — G.K. Chesterton

If they have not done what they said they would do, there is no reason to think they will do tomorrow what they say they are planning to do right now. They have already proven themselves to be liars and vow breakers.

"He that gives money, and makes great feasts, thinks some other fetch, than the service of his neighbors. He that refuses or releases his ordinary wages, looks for some greater extraordinary reward. He that is always or often at prince's platters, or in practicer's palaces, an not long continue the peoples true proctor. And therefor in Venice (as they write) none of the Senate and officers upon pain of his head, are talks privily with another, not takes rewards or fees of any foreign prince. For they are so jealous of the whole state, because they have been so often deceived by practicers in their own companies. Which lesson all wise men and honest men should learn, and by all means suspect prince's promises and withstand practicer's doings, and not believe one word that they say, be it never so gentle: nor yet their deeds, what so ever shine or pretense of love they declare." — John Ponet, A Short Treatise on Political Power

We should not believe liars, even if they are wearing suits and running for political office. Unrepentant liars are not fit to speak on behalf of anyone, let alone everyone.

"But you that are a true Englishman, seeing the fetches and falsehoods of these named and such other as they be, look in time to yourself and to the state of you natural country, and trust not unto them, though they use never so much flattery, though they swear never so fast, tough they speak never so fair, and though they give you their handwriting... Say not too late: If only I had. You have sufficient warning, God give you grace to consider it and use it." — John Ponet, A Short Treatise on Political Power

We do not have to live in skeptical inactivity, but should not go forward in naivete. We must not wait until it's too late to say, "Yeah, I should have known better." Know better now and insist upon better men to represent us. We have been warned and if we do not take heed, we will deserve whatever we get.