[Posted September 3, 2008]

Prepared to Lead?

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Palin asks what is it exactly that the vice president does

Politico August 29, 2008 - MIKE ALLEN

Palin dissed veep job

Count Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as one of the most surprised that she was chosen as the running mate for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

In an interview just a month ago, she dissed the job, saying it didn't seem "productive."

In fact, she said she didn't know what the vice president does.

Larry Kudlow of CNBC's "Kudlow & Co." asked her about the possibility of becoming McCain's ticket mate.

Palin replied: "As for that VP talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day? I'm used to being very productive and working real hard in an administration. We want to make sure that that VP slot would be a fruitful type of position, especially for Alaskans and for the things that we're trying to accomplish up here for the rest of the U.S., before I can even start addressing that question." go to story

The Bhaktivedantas World Sankirtan Party and Inside Nam Hatta are hosted by Hansadutta das, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and trustee of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Participate or learn more about World Sankirtan Party.

Rascals vote for rascals

Votes - even a great quantity - do not qualify a leader A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Again election, as if election will change their quality. They remain... Let them remain as rascal, and simply by election, in place of one rascal, another rascal will improve it. This is the... Let them remain rascal, but get vote. So that is... That is described in Bhagavatam. The population is shva-vid-varahoshtra [camels, asses, hogs], and they are giving vote—another big pashu [animal]. That's all. This is going on. This is democracy. The voters are pashu, and he is selecting another big pashu. This is going on. The rascals, they do not know, "If instead of a tiger, we select one lion, then what is the difference? Simply name. The tiger was president. Now the lion is the president." And both of them—animals. Where is the man, human being? This is going on. more

Make the mass of people God conscious, then they will choose God conscious leaders

excerpt conversation, Los Angeles, December 18, 1973

PRAJAPATI: After hearing such nice information about God, I think some sincere men might come forward and say...

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Any gentleman, any sincere man, must accept this proposition. It is so logical.

PRAJAPATI: They will come forward and say, "Now, what practical can we do to help implement these in the government, in the world? What can we do practical?"

PRABHUPADA: Yes. That you take instruction from us. Because you are all rascals, you do not know. We are experienced. Take advice from us. First thing is that you close the slaughterhouse. Close the liquor house. Will they do that?

PRAJAPATI: It is a question of business. Businessmen have so much control...

PRABHUPADA: Business or whatever nonsense it may be, but our first proposal is that you become sinless. But they will not agree. They will remain sinful, and still they will say, "In God we believe, we trust," these slogans. "We go to church, we pray," like that. This is the defect. A man has come for your... You are a physician for treatment. As soon as the physician says that "You don't do this," you say, "I cannot give up this." Then how he will be cured? Let him rot. This is the position.

SRUTAKIRTI: You said to me in the garden the other day that there are two kind of ignorant people. One is ignorant innocent and the other is rascal ignorant, and that we should preach to the innocent. But all these politicians, they are not innocent, they are rascal.

PRABHUPADA: They are rascal. They are rascal. Maybe some of them are innocent also. But mostly they are rascal because without being first-class rascal, one cannot go into politics. Just like if somebody says... Now, election. Somebody says that "You become vice-president." So why shall I become vice-president? Because I know I shall not be able to do anything. So why shall I waste my time? So another rascal, he will be ready. "Oh, offering vice-president?" But I know that if I want to manage the state, I have to make the people sinless. So if I propose that "Stop this slaughterhouse," so who will accept me? So why shall I go there? Nobody will accept me. Senate, senators, they will say, "Oh, this is business. This is impractical. You have no experience." He will immediately reject. So therefore mass of people must be conscious what is God, what is sin. So when they will be prepared, these rascals will be changed.

DEVOTEE: They would lose too much money if they closed the slaughterhouses. Many of the senators and congressmen have much money from the slaughterhouses and intoxication. They own big ranches of cows and bulls.

PRABHUPADA: Just see. And they are leaders. The most sinful man is the leader. So how you can be happy?

Comments

Sri Guru and Gauranga