A political scientist notes that in a particular voting district, an elected representative has formed an especially close bond with her constituents, and that during her past term she even voted against the will of her party in order to better represent the people in her district. This political scientist would most likely use this observed relationship to argue that:

Read the aphorisms. be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing. an open foe may prove a curse; but a pretended friend is worse. a true friend is the best possession. according to these aphorisms from benjamin franklin's poor richard's almanack, what might happen if a person is careless in choosing a friend? it is best not to have friends because they will usually betray you. casual friends are often the best and can be more trusted than enemies. a person who has betrayed you can sometimes become a good friend. a friend who is not carefully chosen can be worse than an enemy.