- Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:29 pm
#12417
Those who study politics very often do not think about why someone would run for public office and what type of person becomes a politician. Surely, if they are qualified to run a state or the nation, with their multi-billion and multi-trillion dollar budgets, they could make much more money running a corporation, The pay for most political offices do not come anywhere close to what the private sector would pay for a comparable position. A corporate officer is relatively invisible to the public but any politician is always disliked by a percentage of the electorate. A corporate officer has to screw up big time to come to the attention of the general public but each decision by a politician is analyzed and second-guessed every day and the decision is always wrong to a certain segment of the electorate.
To understand how to get good government you have to understand why someone runs for public office and what they hope to get out of it. These are a few thoughts of mine about why someone becomes a politician.
Why someone runs for public office:
1. The “Saint”-The Saint runs for office solely to make his state or country a better place for the citizens and expects nothing in return. These saints, sadly, are rare; some say non-existent.
2. The “Saint For-A-While”-The Saint For-A-While runs for office with the best of intentions but becomes corrupted by money, power or ego. Sadly, most Saints fall into this category.
3. The “Egotist”-The egotist feels that no one can run things as well as he can so he volunteers to save his fellow men from themselves. Too often the egotist feels that he deserves more compensation than what is Constitutionally allowed and his “help” comes at a high cost to the citizenry.
4. The “It's My Turn Politician”-This politician is more common than you might think. After a stint in a lower office or time spent working for someone in high office, the “It's My Turn Politician” feels that the public office he aspires to is owed to him. Once in office this politician often illegally takes what he feels he is owed for his years of service.
5. The “Party Hack”-The Party Hack is one of the loyal party members who feels that he has to run for public office to keep the other party from destroying the state or nation. He has little compassion for the citizenry other than those of his own party. He feels duty bound to correct the wrong perpetrated by the other party and feels that the policies of the other party are sending the state or nation down the road to oblivion.
6. The “It's Mine Candidate”-the politician is only in it for what the office can give him. All laws policies or regulations (or lack thereof) are to benefit him or his friends or contributors. The state or nation is for his benefit and the benefit of his friends.
7. The “Power Hungry”-This candidate is different than the egotist in that he is running for office to salve his hunger for power. Once in office he will increase his power. if possible. with each passing day. He will often set himself up as a “king-maker” for his party and seek to dictate who his successor will be. All help to his party comes at a price. He will seek to destroy all who disagree or oppose him.
8. The “Founding Father Candidate”-This candidate runs for office because he feels that the state or nation is getting way from the ideals of the Founding Fathers. Too often he becomes one of the above.
9. The “Religious Candidate”-This candidate feels that his religion is the only true religion and the laws much be changed to force the citizenry to follow the ideals of his religion. This candidate is one of the most dangerous because he will make it a crime to not follow the ideals of his religion.
10. The “Class Candidate”-This candidate feels that those of a lesser class should not be allowed to hold public office even if the Constitution says so. He feels that the Founding Fathers mis-spoke when they said all men are created equal. When in ofice he will seek to ensure that the lesser class remains in their station and that they always remember who their betters are.
To understand how to get good government you have to understand why someone runs for public office and what they hope to get out of it. These are a few thoughts of mine about why someone becomes a politician.
Why someone runs for public office:
1. The “Saint”-The Saint runs for office solely to make his state or country a better place for the citizens and expects nothing in return. These saints, sadly, are rare; some say non-existent.
2. The “Saint For-A-While”-The Saint For-A-While runs for office with the best of intentions but becomes corrupted by money, power or ego. Sadly, most Saints fall into this category.
3. The “Egotist”-The egotist feels that no one can run things as well as he can so he volunteers to save his fellow men from themselves. Too often the egotist feels that he deserves more compensation than what is Constitutionally allowed and his “help” comes at a high cost to the citizenry.
4. The “It's My Turn Politician”-This politician is more common than you might think. After a stint in a lower office or time spent working for someone in high office, the “It's My Turn Politician” feels that the public office he aspires to is owed to him. Once in office this politician often illegally takes what he feels he is owed for his years of service.
5. The “Party Hack”-The Party Hack is one of the loyal party members who feels that he has to run for public office to keep the other party from destroying the state or nation. He has little compassion for the citizenry other than those of his own party. He feels duty bound to correct the wrong perpetrated by the other party and feels that the policies of the other party are sending the state or nation down the road to oblivion.
6. The “It's Mine Candidate”-the politician is only in it for what the office can give him. All laws policies or regulations (or lack thereof) are to benefit him or his friends or contributors. The state or nation is for his benefit and the benefit of his friends.
7. The “Power Hungry”-This candidate is different than the egotist in that he is running for office to salve his hunger for power. Once in office he will increase his power. if possible. with each passing day. He will often set himself up as a “king-maker” for his party and seek to dictate who his successor will be. All help to his party comes at a price. He will seek to destroy all who disagree or oppose him.
8. The “Founding Father Candidate”-This candidate runs for office because he feels that the state or nation is getting way from the ideals of the Founding Fathers. Too often he becomes one of the above.
9. The “Religious Candidate”-This candidate feels that his religion is the only true religion and the laws much be changed to force the citizenry to follow the ideals of his religion. This candidate is one of the most dangerous because he will make it a crime to not follow the ideals of his religion.
10. The “Class Candidate”-This candidate feels that those of a lesser class should not be allowed to hold public office even if the Constitution says so. He feels that the Founding Fathers mis-spoke when they said all men are created equal. When in ofice he will seek to ensure that the lesser class remains in their station and that they always remember who their betters are.
- By divermouse