The 41st, one-term President of the United States of America, George H.W. Bush, who served from 1989 to 1993, told American voters during his campaign run: “Read my lips, no tax increases.”On becoming president, one of Bush’s first acts was to raise taxes. He is but one of hundreds of politicians throughout the ages who have baffled citizens with deeds that did not match their words, or whose verbose outpourings bore no relation to their deeds.Politicians should appreciate history as it can often be their undoing. The past often exposes them cruelly and the approbation which they all like can swiftly disappear when they are assessed by those not paralysed by partisan politics.A mere six years ago, while current Prime Minister Mia Mottley was leader of the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP), former politician Dr Maria Agard was expelled from that party. As we recall, the BLP’s National Council, after hearing charges against her, determined that she be expelled. We see no necessity to rehash all the facts as they have been previously documented. Suffice to say, following statements from her Christ Church West executive branch, Dr Agard defended herself by addressing the issue in public fora.