Dynasties
After the tragic death of Benazir Bhutto, her party had no qualms in granting her son and her husband power.
NAUDERO, Pakistan (Reuters) - The 19-year-old son of assassinated Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal, was on Sunday appointed chairman of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP) along with his father, party officials said.Some years back it was apparent that her power had come from being the daughter of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, which had founded the Pakistan People's Party. This post is not in any way trying to diminish her role in the party, but there had been some that had put their hopes in her being able to help create a democracy in Pakistan. I do not know the beliefs of her party, but I believe that creating leadership from family descendants is not too compatible with democracy.
"It has been decided that Bilawal will be the chairman and Mr (Asif Ali) Zardari will be co-chairman," one of the party officials said in the southern town of Naudero, where top officials of Bhutto's party were meeting.
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I also feel this way about the existence of George H W. Bush and George W. Bush, and the fact that Senator Clinton is running for president. Family members in the past have been elected president; John and John Quincey Adams, Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, both 24 years apart. It didn't seem then to disrupt our government, but it wasn't a trend or close to the next succession. Now there is only 8 years between the Bushes and possible 8 years between the Clintons. This is too soon and too often, it is almost an expectation, like when Bobby Kennedy and Ted Kennedy ran for the Democratic party's nomination. Yes, I would like a woman to run for president, but there should be other women to consider. After 2008, will we see another Bush run for president?
Do people ever think that if we get into the habit of choosing our presidents like this, that abuse of power isn't far behind, when candidates know, they only need the name? What of the opposition, you say. They have a candidate that had a father as governor, another type dynasty. In a few years all the successful candidates could be descendants of governors, senators and presidents. It becomes the family business and the other 300 million people will become inconsequential, because they know that their name is more important than their policies.