When the pocket is full

"An elderly businessman explained why a pocket on a shirt or a jacket is always on the left. He said it is because it is over the heart. "When the pocket is full, the heart is happy," he meant full of money. His business is doing well. In recent years, some of his shops were bombed, his employees were killed. But he continues to work hard and look to the future.

We talked about the elections, his entire family will vote for Nouri Al Maliki. He said they look forward to voting. The Iraqi parliament is expected to come up with a new election law by the 15th of this month. The politicians all say they want an open list, but nobody believes them. The man said, "It does not benefit them, so they will have an election with the old election law, meaning the closed list."

The TV stations show politicians promising an open list. Iraqis march in the street for it. But nobody believes the candidates. As the elderly businessman put it: "Their pockets are full, and their hearts are happy." Why would they change the system, he asked, when it serves them. "Their heavy pockets protect their hearts." They protect their seats in parliament, too."
IraqPundit