midnightmusings: Pet Peeve of the Week - Professional politicians

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Thursday, October 26, 2006

Pet Peeve of the Week - Professional politicians

I try not to get involved in political debates. In general, they're like trying to teach a pig to sing - it wastes your time and annoys the pig. Very few discussions about politics remain discussions and very few result in anyone coming away with a different perspective. Mostly, the combatants consider their opponents' behavior further proof of the validity of their original opinions.

However, with the recent appalling shenanigans in Washington, I feel I have to say something. Even if it's here, where no one I know is likely to read it.

WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING? They were sent to DC to act in the best interests of the public. They are NOT there to dally with pages or interns, nor to feather their own nests. It's public service. Or supposed to be. The dumbasses have forgotten that.

The worst thing is the excuses.

"Oh, it was a clerical error."

"I can't find those records."

"That was done by someone on my campaign committee. I didn't approve it."

Excuuuuuuuuuse me? That's right up there with, "The dog ate my homework," on the Ludicrous Scale. Out of sight, off the bottom reading on the PlausiMeter.

For once, I'd like to see an elected official stand up and say, "Yes, that's correct. It happened, here's how and why, and wow, was that a stupid thing for me to have done! No, I'm not going to mount a time-consuming waste of taxpayers' dollars fighting what I know is wrong."

They've been there too long. They've lost touch with what they are supposed to be doing. I don't care what political party they belong to (the perils of an entrenched two-party system are another rant, for another day). I don't care who their daddies were. I don't care who gave them the campaign money that got them the exposure to build name recognition. I don't care whose coattails - or face - they stood on to get in office.

There are very few, and by that I mean damned near nonexistent, elected officials who are serious about their jobs. As in, they know their constituency, serve their constituency, and do not have a personal agenda of ramming their pet solution (environmental, social, educational, take your pick) down everyone's throats.

Why? Probably because we've put the fox in charge of the henhouse. Who decides the election rules for fundraising? Most of the elected officials in Washington are attorneys. It's a big mistake to put lawyers in charge of writing the laws. Talk about a medieval guild model!

The vast majority of Americans are nowhere near wealthy (too many of us live like we are, leveraged to the hilt, but that's also a different Pet Peeve), yet our national representatives are people who don't and never have lived the way we do. Professional politicians are wealthy or they can't run an effective campaign. If they weren't before they started to run for office, they had an influential and wealthy backer who has guided and financed them. They've either never been in touch with the average American or else it's been so long that they've forgotten there's a world out there beyond the Beltway. Crikeys, what would the Founding Fathers think of a president who'd never held a salaried job? (Not only that, what would they think of the way we hassle travelers in the name of safety?)

A senator left Congress in the 70s to run a motel in Connecticut (sorry, I can't remember which one - I'd hate to mislead anyone). He was appalled by the maze of paperwork and regulations he had to navigate to stay in business. He told reporters that, had he known before he was elected what running a small business was like, he would have used his time in Washington very differently. That's a telling remark (and damn it, I wish I could remember who it was!).

One solution I see is to limit terms and eliminate perks like pensions. It's public service. It's not supposed to be a career. When their two terms are over, let's make them go get real jobs!

Hugs,
Liddy, who hasn't had her soapbox out in a while LOL

posted by Liddy Midnight @ 12:12 PM

2 Comments:

At 8:46 AM, Liddy Midnight said…

You know, Jolene, I don't talk to many "ordinary" folks like you and me who don't share these sentiments. Now, why can't we make our wishes happen?

Is it because of those PACs and professional fundraisers (all of which I consider abominations that should be outlawed) flooding the media with brainwashing advertisements? Or is it that the system has become so complex that only a professional can understand it and get anything done? Either one is a very bad situation, IMHO.

Hugs,
Liddy
At 5:28 AM, Two Voices Publishing said…

I'm adding my amen, Liddy. Sadly I'm beginning to see it's not just politics where this happens. Every system seems to be disintegrating, health care, education [I suppose it all goes back to politics being at the root of everything] I think the reason people like us can't seem to make any changes is because we're too busy trying to keep our heads above water. It's a full time job to keep a family afloat these days and we just don't have time to take on city hall and deal with the people who've made it their profession to screw around with the rest of us.