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The first, and arguably most important, skill a politician learns is how to count. Nothing else matters if you don't have the votes. Votes that get you elected, votes that get legislation passed. Sidney displays an impressive ability to count.
In olden days the argument was that you did what you had to get the votes to get yourself elected so you could do the right thing once you were in power. Now, getting elected so you can do what you have to do stay in office (suck up to lobbyists for campaign dollars) is the typical political strategy. Doing the right thing has been lost from the equation. I know this sounds sappy but voters would respond to leadership, a politician who putting leading first ahead of counting. Old school rule:do the right thing and the votes will take care of themselves. sigh.....
