Is it impossible for a non-millionaire US politician to be honest?

Question

Considering the cost it costs to be elected the politicians must secure funds from patrons. Of course these patrons will want a return for their investment/bribe.

What's the solution? Severely limiting campaign finance?

Answer 1

politicians are never honest, all the promises they make, they never keep their words, once their elected it's all about the money they care about. I don't think there's any solutions to it, they just keep doing it.

Answer 2

Have you ever heard of a poor politician? Maybe on a local level such a rarity exists, but on a state or national level, it is impossible so your question is really moot. Look at Bush, Kennedy, Nixon, Reagan, Rooseveldt (Truman was an accident by being VP and taking over), none of these men were poor but being honest conflicts with the fact that they are wealthy...you have surely heard behind each fortune is some crime....FDR who I respect very much is the product of two families...Delano and Rooseveldt who were successful opium dealers in China (taking the drugs from Macau to Canton as the British promised the Emperor that they would not bring opium into China. Stories about the Kennedy family and bootlegging are well-known, and the Bush family has been in many shady oil companies. Who can compete against their resources?

Answer 3

I think limiting campaign finance would be a great idea to keep all candidates on a level playing field.
But, I think that politicians will always say what the people want to hear to get elected. Sometimes, though, a situation may be far worse then they knew before they were elected, and may not be able to uphold certain campaign promises.

Answer 4

It doesn't matter if a politician is filthy rich or dirt poor.
What counts is a person's integrity.
There are honest poor and rich people.
There are dishonest poor and rich people.
Limiting campaign financing isn't the answer.
The best a voter can do is vote for who he or she feels is best qualified and hope that the best candidate wins.

Answer 5

It's impossible for any U.S. politician to be honest. I'm sure most of them start out with the best of intentions, but once they're entrenched in the cesspool of American politics, they quickly come to realize that it's all the art of the "deal".

Lobbyists, special interest groups, and big business have taken over the whole process, and the Republicrats now have a stranglehold on our political system, having turned it into the most corrupt, evil, repulsive and repugnant of all endeavors.
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The only thing that will clean up our political sewer is for Americans to get off the couch, put down the remote, and DEMAND our country back. The Constitution allows us to bear arms against a tyrannical and oppressive government.

But, like lobsters languishing in a pot of lukewarm water, we're just too damned comfortable as long as the politicians keep the water simmering. Only when the pot boils over will we start screaming in agony over our own apathy. Then it will be too late.

Politicians distract us with foolish non-binding resolutions on flag-burning and gay marriage while ignoring the real issues that infect this country. As long as they don't give any attention to those things that are most important, politicians can continue to suck off the taxpayers' teat and enrich themselves with lavish salaries, all-expense-paid luxury vacations, automatic cost-of-living increases, decadent retirement programs, and the best health and medical care in the world.

Meanwhile, we remain pre-occupied with our maxxed-out credit cards; professional landscaping for our $300,000 houses; $3.00 a gallon fuel for our $60,000 SUVs; Britney Spears' love life; an inordinate interest in Jacko's pedophilia; "low prices - everyday" on junk we don't need from WalMart; and the latest rankings of our favorite NASCAR driver.

It's time for another American Revolution!
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Thomas Jefferson once said: 'The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." That time is past due!

But we're not going to stand up and fight until things get a lot less comfortable. Then, in a REactive mode, we'll try to protest only to discover that the only PROactive thing our government has done is protect itself against such a rebellion.

We'd better wake up, Americans, before it's too late! -RKO-

Answer 6

Then you get caught in a dilemma of not being able to get the word out.

Between advertising and travel, it is enormously expensive to be a major politician.

And why spend $40M for a job that pays 400K? (The Presidency)

The system is badly out of whack, but any time you say "reform", everyone gets wobbly.

Answer 7

millionaire or not, it is more about the power. when you are President, YOUR money doesn't matter because they use OUR money. When it comes to a group who donated to your campaign, it IS about getting what they want in the way of government contracts, etc. They are more after the President's POWER to give them PROFITS. So, no matter WHO is President (rich or poor person), it will be DISHONEST

Answer 8

It is impossible for any politician to be honest. There is much too much peer pressure

Answer 9

optimistic, there are 100 Senators, 435 members in the homestead of Reps, cupboard members, governors, lieutenant governors, mayors, and so on... obviously there are going to be straightforward human beings between them. it is merely that we merely listen about the dishonest ones on T.V. so it provides all of them a foul call.

Answer 10

Sure, a non-mill. can be elected to the town council.