Can you say something good about Politicians ?

Question

I think people who go in for politics do so because they have ideals and think they can make a deference ( unlike the rest of us who just moan ). If they get into Government they can be called on to make decisions that affect all our lives and can even mean life or death. Yet their pay can be less than a premiership footballer or pop singer. If you decide to answer this, please try to leave Party Politics out.

I had not expected answers from America, the political system is deferent from the U K. As I see it anyone with deternination and vision can become a politition and even Prime Minister. In the U S you need buckets of cash to pay for all the T V and radio advertiseing on the campain trail. To get to be President you need a few oil wells, or a peanut farm. I am sure our American cousins will correct me if I am wrong. Please keep your answers coming, whichever side of the Pond you come from. The response I have had already has been very interesting.

Answer 1

I've worked with several politicians.. heck, I was one. I served two terms in elected office.

I've met politicians from the bottom to the top and including the Supreme Court. In fact, when I took my oath of office for my second term I was sworn in by a Supreme Court Justice.

I don't think I have ever met a politician who began their career in politics wanting to do the WRONG thing. I believe in the beginning they all have the best of intentions. Some get discouraged constantly battling the system, some get lazy allowing the system to carry them along the way and some become corrupt not because they plan on it, but because to climb the political ladder, you don't get to the top by not making promises along the way. Even some of the corrupt politicians still have good intentions. It's the career politicians you have to watch out for. Not the "homegrown" politician that gets into politics as you mentioned, who want to simply make a difference.

You are right about being called on to make decisions that affect peoples lives. It is a hard thing to do. Even at the most basic level of government, the local level you can and will be called upon to make life saving/sustaining decisions.

I guess unless you have walked the walk you don't have a clue what it takes to live *in* the world of politics.

The pay? Well, I can tell you this. I was naive when I got elected to my first term. I thought it was a volunteer position. Imagine my surprise when I found out I would make a whole $3600 a YEAR! That equals $60 a week to do a job that took me away from my family at least 4 nights a week. To do a job that meant living my life under a magnifying glass 24/7. To attend public meetings where what got reported by the media rarely mirrored what actually happened in the meetings. I often wondered if the reporters were actually attending the same meeting I was. It sure didn't seem like it. The actual meetings were usually very boring but that isn't what sells newspapers. Remember that folks when you read or listen to the news. The news organizations aren't in the business to not "sell" their news. Their investors wouldn't like that too much. Now, you have a news media that sensationalizes the news to sell papers. THEN you have members of the public that believes that sensationalized news. A person trying to do the job of representing the public responsibly can't win. No matter which stance you take on an issue there is going to be someone calling you every dirty name in the book. AND.. they don't care who they do this in front of. Family members of politicians are treated as poorly as the politician.

So... when I read responses such as the ones you received here I almost have to laugh. 90% of your responders haven't a clue what the real world of politics entails. I've read a few comments that seem to have an idea. Mostly ignorance though.

Now imagine this... I have just openingly admitted to being a former politician. Former or not, once a politician always a politician in the eyes of the public. I usually go out of my way to hide the fact that I took part in politics. Why? Because of what you can read in this thread. I gave 8 years of my life to serving others. I took 8 years of my life away from my family. I was never not "on call". Hell, I was in the hospital getting a stress test and a passer-by saw me on the treadmill and came into the room and wanted to discuss an issue before our Council. I just had to smile at the Dr standing there. So I gave 8 years. How many of you will give 8 days? Very few, if any.

Let me ask you all this.. Why would anyone want to put their lives through the hassle of respresenting people like you? THAT is why you don't get many people who legitimately care about their constituencies going into politics today. That is why I only lasted two terms.

It is people like you that invite corruption to politics. You know what is ironic.. if the politician you favor can serve to you on a silver platter the issues you favor, it is ironic how many of you can look beyond that corruption. So who is it that is rewarding that corruption?

The majority of you are as self-serving as the most evil of corrupt politicians.

Answer 2

There are some very good politicians out there who have a genuine desire to represent the interests of their constituents and the country the best they can. Tony Benn, Dennis Skinner, Robert Marshall-Andrews, Charles Kennedy being but a few.

The difficulty is, those who fall into the above category are generally seen as rabid left-wingers and of the awkward squad which I belive is an unfair represenation. This comes from the fact that the political system in this country seems to favour business first above the needs of the citizen, the names I have mentioned plus several others, try and buck this trend in a hostile climate.

For example, many prominent (and not so prominent) members of paliament from all 3 main parties (in the UK) have directorships/consultancies in many facets of British business, therefore I for one would worry that if a decision had to be made regarding an industry in which they were being paid, they wouldn't be impartial. This is one of the main reasons, in my humble view, why politicians get such a bad name.

Answer 3

I strongly disagree that the majority of people who go into politics do so because they have ideals, ethics, or even a basic amount of honesty. They may go in to make a difference, but not for us, the public. All you have to do is watch C-Span and look what they're voting for to see that. Ninety-eight percent of what they vote on takes money, power, and the peoples' voices and power away from them. That ninety-eight percent gives what is ours to a very tiny minority that already has far more than they should have, if they had worked for what all they have honestly and above-board. Such is not the case, and there are very few exceptions.

Paul Wellstone was honest, worked hard for the people, and didn't take bribes, but then he died in a plane crash.

Representative Barbara Lee from California does what's right, even if she's one congressperson against the other 434. That takes a lot of guts. And something called "integrity," which seems to be missing from almost all the rest.

Sometimes other politicians do what's right, too, but if and when they do, you know we're within two months of an election. That is a given, and one that never changes. They'll throw us a few crumbs right at the very end of their term, and we'll forget all they took from us for the other forty-five months, so most of us will be stupid enough to vote for them again.

Don't get me started on politicians' pay. They vote themselves raises, and almost of the money they make is in bribes, kickbacks, inside-trading, sweetheart deals, and outright payola. Granted, they don't make as much as entertainers, but then they're "public servants." Or so they say. It seems to me that taking almost everything we have left isn't doing us, the public, much of a service. We're not just serving them, they're practically our plantation owners. They're only serving themselves and those they're heavily indebted to.

So about the only thing else good I can say about them is they make lawyers and crack dealers seem honest and honorable by comparison. And eventually they all die and we won't have to put up with hardly any of them in Heaven.

Answer 4

I personally know a couple of politicians. Both are very committed to their ideals, very intelligent and hard working. One of them has children, and they are a big part of the reason he does what he does. It really takes a man or woman with courage and conviction to go into politics because politicians are so often attacked by the media and their opponents. A life in the public eye really is very difficult and unfortunately those that criticize politicians often lose sight of the fact that these are real people with feelings and with families.

Answer 5

It would be nice if a politician could answer questions with one sentence instead of using "Politician's Waffle". It makes me squirm watching even the most dedicated politician trying not to say the wrong thing.

Answer 6

I believe they work hard to get where they are and to begin with a lot set out to good but many do loose their way as time goes on in their political careers. As things stand at the moment the government are trying to fulfil their promises but the mess left by previous government's seems to be greater than they anticipated so it seems like they do lie but really they are fighting a loosing Battle. In conclusion it will vary from politician to politician.

Answer 7

I think the vast majority of Politicians start off with all the right intentions, however they are eventually "ground down" by the party machine. How many Ministers after loosing their departments, then come out and start "slagging off" the powers that be. It happens all the time. It just shows that they might have good ideas when in power but the top brass will not let them implement these ideas.

Answer 8

Politics is meant to be a service to the people, who have given some members of the community a mission to bring out policies that would benefit all. But now its all about self and the power one can gain.

Politics is just another job and a means of getting out of the poverty market by using taxpayers monies to benefit oneself, through some NGO and Charities.

We no longer have politicians that care for the people. Because they think we are passive .

Answer 9

When you see a socialist politician that owns 2 Jaguar cars or one who opts for private education for his kids and you see family values politicians having affairs you can only assume that they think they know what is best for us but think that are superior to their electorate.

Whether any one agreed with Tony Benn and Enoch Powel or not (and I don't) at least people had to accept that they tried to practice what they preached.

I prefer charismatic misfit idealists. At least they are more believable.

Answer 10

I actually had my own congressman tell me he'd vote the way he wanted to regardless of opinions otherwise in his district. They work less each and every year but give themselves raises like clockwork. Will America please stand up and vote! How is it that less than 50% of our people are responsible for electing our leaders? and I use that term loosely. The only thing good about politicians is that they are smart enough to know how to cash in on the apathy of their own people for monetary and political gain.