Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Grainne who wrote (25003)	9/21/1998 1:07:00 AM
From: Dayuhan	Respond to of 108807

Christine, <<I think people enter public service mostly to SERVE their cities, counties, states and countries.>> Do you really believe that? I've always assumed that they are obsessed with prominence, respect, recognition, seeing their mugs on TV, all of which are a headier drug than money to some. And despite those low salaries, they mostly seem to do ok financially, don't they? <<What I would like to know from you, Steve, is where we are going when we start with cynicism in government? It seems that it quickly leads to a very bad place, where we have no expectations.>> I would say that cynicism about government is essential, as is a notion of what we actually expect. Do we want them to be better people than we are, or to run the country better than we could, or both? One of the oddities of the whole debate, to any student of history, is the notion that lying, theft, and sexual misconduct are anything new in government. We love to put our past leaders on pedestals, even if we need to strip out large portions of their histories to do it. But even as we do it, we should be aware of what we do. It's hard enough to compare people to what past leaders actually were, far harder to compare them to our beloved illusions. What do I expect from politicians? Only that they remain reasonably faithful to the platform on which they were elected, and that they manage their area of responsibility effectively. I take it for granted that they're lying, cheating, and stealing. Politics is a rat race, and the winner of a rat race is almost inevitably a rat. As long as the rat does his job better than the other rats, I won't ask him to turn into a gerbil. Cynical, yes, I admit it, but it's hard to observe politics, in this or any other age, without a degree of cynicism setting in. Steve

To: Grainne who wrote (25003)	9/21/1998 7:34:00 AM
From: Sam Ferguson	Respond to of 108807

Christine I cannot believe you are that naive about elected officials. As to poor pay I will agree their salaries are not large. What you do not see are all the perks both legal and illegal that swell the coffers of most. I have been around politicians all my life and been part of some of the campaigns. As long as they have influence someone will usually buy them with a gratuity. I have known several of the political bosses in local and state government very intimately. Although not all are crooks the larger percentage have committed criminal acts. Most enter politics for selfish reasons and the greed for power. Sorry to disallusion you but you are not aware of what goes on behind the scenes.The smoke filled rooms still exist and its a scratch my back andI'll scratch yours or all your bills fail.