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It is the fashion these days for any organisation to adopt a high-standing mission statement, which is soon forgotten. It is nothing new. We make pious New Year resolutions, which disappear with the froth on the beer. The recall of Biblical stories to illustrate or underpin our good resolve is normal for those of us brought up in the Christian tradition. Perhaps because of happenings in the country, my mind was turned to William Ofori-Atta�s gripping accounts of political events in Europe which unwrapped conventional embellishments of distinguished narrators. The young Cambridge graduate had just returned from England in 1940 to teach us History. But his lessons were anything but what we know as history. It was to open the eyes of those who could see to the interconnection of the various branches of learning. History became a survey and interpretation of politics, economics, religion and literature. I was attracted to political satirists and the heading of this piece is taken from John Dryden�s Absalom and Achitophel. In this work, Dryden, the 17th century English poet and critic used the Old Testament story to satirise some politicians of the day and promote a political purpose. I hope our talkers and actors will realise the futility of justifying all the party�s former deeds and instead expose the bankruptcy of life in high places and the pursuit of the easy and affluent life at any price. As Dryden asked, are our leaders resolved to rule even at the expense of running the state. I find the present desire to change the Constitution so that the winner does not take all most disturbing. We should not be ensnared by words. To win in an election is not the same as winning a lottery. In an election you win to serve. You asked for the mandate to serve your fellow countrymen and women and when you win the election you receive the go-ahead to make the country a better place� not for yourself, your relatives and your party, but for all the people. It is bizarre to ask those whose road map to prosperity was rejected by the election to join you to share the so-called �spoils of victory�. In our circumstances, this will create a ruling class, which will insist on its rule or the ruin of the state. The other parties have or should have the same objective as the winning party. The only difference is that they have what they believe to be better ways of promoting economic and social development. The difference in approaches need not be very great since the Constitution has the Directive Principles of State Police which is enjoins the government to follow. What we need, therefore, is not to change the Constitution but to follow it, and make it work. The Constitution should evolve not revolve round party apparatchiks. The belief that our leaders, especially the President, need a lot of advice and ideas is not borne out by the facts. If anything, our ministers and the President especially need a lot of peace and serenity to take decisions to move the country forward in spite of conflicting advice. It is an unpleasant truth but we should face it. Much of the apparently disinterested advice given to the President is designed to promote personal or sectional interests. The stranglehold by party financiers and big �men� should be broken. It is nothing new. What is happening today took place in many countries many years ago. Mankind has not changed that much. Christmas should remind us of that. Our leaders are not much different from those of the past and present. We the people should tell them that they did not �win� their positions to �chop small�. We should talk less, comment after due reflection and free our minds from the stranglehold of party affiliation and the strangulation of competent public office especially civil servants. NO group has the right to rule and ruin the nation. The faults we decry lie not in our stars or inadequate Constitution but in ourselves.