The Unwritten Rules of Being a Politician

Based on the Epstein discharge-petition analysis

There are a few unwritten rules that seem to govern modern politics. They aren’t taught in civics class, but they are practiced every day in front of cameras, on social media, and in back rooms where strategy is crafted. Here’s what those rules look like when you strip away the slogans and watch the behavior.

1. Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste — Weaponize It

If a situation can be used to corner your opponents, turn it into a spectacle. The goal is not clarity; the goal is leverage. Every scandal, every leak, every petition becomes an opportunity to frame the other side as corrupt, weak, or uncaring.

2. Always Build a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” Trap

Design your moves so your opponent is wrong no matter what they choose. If they cooperate, blame them for the fallout. If they resist, accuse them of hiding something. Either way, you’ve scripted the narrative in advance.

3. Accusation Beats Explanation

Innuendo travels faster than facts. Most voters won’t read beyond the headline or the first 10 seconds of a clip. That reality rewards those who throw sharp accusations, not those who patiently walk through nuance.

4. Protect Your Side, Punish the Other

When your own allies slip, minimize and deflect. When your opponents slip, maximize and destroy. Hypocrisy isn’t a disqualifier in politics; it’s practically a job requirement. Outcomes matter more than consistency.

5. Call Everything “Transparency,” Even When It’s Theater

Demand instant, total disclosure when it hurts your opponents. Demand process, redactions, and “context” when it touches your own side. Use the word “transparency” as moral cover, even when the real goal is political damage.

6. Assume the Public Remembers Feelings, Not Details

People forget data but remember impressions. They may not recall who said what, or what was technically true, but they will remember who made them feel angry, scared, or vindicated. Shape emotional narratives, not legal briefs.

7. If Innocent People Get Hurt, Pivot

When collateral damage becomes obvious, deploy one simple line: “They should have known this would happen.” Shift the blame to your opponents for being reckless, even if you built the trap that made harm inevitable.

8. If Opponents Seek Caution, Call It a Cover-Up

Slow, responsible procedure does not play well in the outrage economy. When the other side asks for due process, label it stalling, hiding, or obstructing. Turn patience into proof of guilt.

9. Outrage Is a Tool — Use It Like Fuel

Media and social platforms run on anger. Outrage drives clicks, donations, and turnout. If you can keep people mad, you can keep them engaged — and if you keep them engaged, you can keep your grip on power.

10. Never Admit the Strategy — Always Pretend It’s Principle

No matter how calculated the move, frame it as justice, accountability, defending democracy, or fighting corruption. The language of high principle is the camouflage that hides raw power plays in plain sight.

These may be the rules of the game today — but recognizing them is the first step toward demanding something better.

~ Michael T. Ruhlman © 2025