On Corrupt Politicians

One of the world's worst-kept secrets is the near-total lack of integrity held my most* politicians.

"Campaign Promise" is code-speak for "good things I would do if the opportunity arose and I was not otherwise occupied...but should the opportunity arise when I am not otherwise occupied, I will find other ways to be occupied thus ensuring it does not happen."

Hey politicians: read my typewriter lips; no new promises. Watching you break them is taxing.**

Everyone knows campaign contributions/lobbyists etc. affect policy more than whether a politician believes any given legislation is good or bad for their constituents.

The Congress and House of Representatives are full of people with criminal convictions.

In short, the concept our country was founded on, that " a few good men will gather together to govern for the benefit of the greater good" is as foreign to the current system as the thought that words such as "colored" have a place on conversations about people. Both are offensive to anyone with good sense.

With raises an interesting question. If dishonesty, lack of integrity, lack of good governance are the norm...or to put it another way, if corruption is the norm, is accepted (which it is, as evidenced by the rate of recidivism where recidivism is represented by re-electing the same guy), then if a politician comes into that paradigm who is honest, above reproach, and votes with the best interests of his constituents in mind...isn't HE the one who, in that system, is actually corrupt?


* I say most because it is to be assumed that some time, some place, some ONE has proven to be a politician with integrity. I doubt it has been in the last 130 years.

**Yes, alert reader, that is a play on the famous "Read my lips, no new taxes" lie.

1 comment:

Riot Kitty said...

Sad but true. Did you see the headline in The Onion, "America hires lobbyist to influence Congress"?