Strange observation on politics

[Questor]

You know, I don't believe I've ever heard anyone say that politics is an "honorable profession" or a "respectable profession". Have you?

[mcwoodduck]

How Can they.
It is one group of people that begs special interest groups for $ to fund their campaigns and then have to pay those groups back by either taking money from tax payers to fund the special interst people's projects, make the tax law so people will spend thier money in a certain way to the special interest groups are happy (in the case of lawyers and accountants they want the tax law as confussing as possible so you need them to fill out your taxes and possibly find a loophole so you do not have to have as much stolen from you)
Or they are making laws that steal your freedom because som goody goody I know better group want to stop you from doing something they do not like.
And again doing all this to get more campaign $ so they can stay in office and have all the PERKS that cost us more in Tax dollars they think we OWE them.

[Yankee1]

I'll add to that.  Then they have the gall to attempt to solicit funds from us to do things we don't want done.
                                      Yankee1

[slim rem 7]

  personely i think many arrive in govt with wonderful intentions... then they learn the
way the games played...
 with pork barrel or shady agendas influencing votes more so than the will of the people who put an particular politician in office...its a sad state of affairs... jmo slim
   politicians could be more honest if we as voters just speak at the bpoles ...
  lets puts some integrity back in the system...slim

[Dee]

I strongly disagree slim rem 7. I for one think we should continue to vote for the lessor of two evils, and reason to those that don't, that the honest candidate can't win anyway, and to vote for him would be a wasted vote. Heaven forbid that we should vote for honesty and integrity. Then we will all have a perpetual subject of complaint, and loss of freedoms.

[slim rem 7]

 oh lawd dee ... it sure seems like a lost cause sometimes don t it..slim

[teamnelson]

... I toy with the idea of going into politics when I retire from the military; most likely local only or maybe state. But I share the same sentiments as already expressed here - I'd like to think I'm an honest man, with some good ideas. Popular opinion is that you have to sell your soul and your balls to get into politics, and I'm happily attached to both.

If that is the truth, if only dishonest, souless, spineless folks aspire to serve in positions of public leadership, why complain? We seem to be okay with that.

[Brett]

What would be your initial reaction if your daughter came home and said "I'm dating a politician"?   

[nw_hunter]

  personely i think many arrive in govt with wonderful intentions... then they learn the
way the games played...
 with pork barrel or shady agendas influencing votes more so than the will of the people who put an particular politician in office...its a sad state of affairs... jmo slim
   politicians could be more honest if we as voters just speak at the bpoles ...
  lets puts some integrity back in the system...slim

I like what Jefferson says about politics..........

      The Basic Differences Between Parties

"Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties: 1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes. 2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depositary of the public interests. In every country these two parties exist, and in every one where they are free to think, speak, and write, they will declare themselves. Call them, therefore, Liberals and Serviles, Jacobins and Ultras, Whigs and Tories, Republicans and Federalists, Aristocrats and Democrats, or by whatever name you please, they are the same parties still and pursue the same object. The last one of Aristocrats and Democrats is the true one expressing the essence of all." --Thomas Jefferson to Henry Lee, 1824. ME 16:73

"Both of our political parties, at least the honest portion of them, agree conscientiously in the same object: the public good; but they differ essentially in what they deem the means of promoting that good. One side believes it best done by one composition of the governing powers, the other by a different one. One fears most the ignorance of the people; the other the selfishness of rulers independent of them. Which is right, time and experience will prove. We think that one side of this experiment has been long enough tried and proved not to promote the good of the many, and that the other has not been fairly and sufficiently tried. Our opponents think the reverse. With whichever opinion the body of the nation concurs, that must prevail." --Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 1804. ME 11:52
************
I think both parties have merged somewhat, and fear the ignorance of the people.
The selfish rulers have a strangle hold now, and what we have is just one party acting as two.

Be interesting to see just how bad the people want it back!.......NW

[wganz]

Why do you think that the political establishment inside the Beltway is frothing at the mouth to spew hatred and venom at the mention of Sarah Palin?