Politics is everyone's business

[sealchan]

I've voted for people who claimed to hold similar values, but getting elected seems to show how much stock they really put in their values. The ones who truly hold values are rarely elected, but I respect that kind of rare politician no matter what values they hold. Too bad they don't hold the same values.

Do you think that it is the good, consistent ones that don't get elected or is it that whoever gets elected is going to be "corrupted"? Or some of both?

 

[Jumi]

Do you think that it is the good, consistent ones that don't get elected or is it that whoever gets elected is going to be "corrupted"? Or some of both?

I think it's both. Often people who want power over others have a bit different way of thinking than those who want to live a good honest life. Even the ones who had good intentions get overwhelmed with all the free lunches...

 

[sealchan]

I think it's both. Often people who want power over others have a bit different way of thinking than those who want to live a good honest life. Even the ones who had good intentions get overwhelmed with all the free lunches...

Long ago a philosopher named Plato concluded...

Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils—nor the human race, as I believe—and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day.

I take philosophy as a love of wisdom, of knowledge and a study thereof. Such people do not want to govern, they must be compelled to do so, says Plato.

 

[Twilight Hue]

People, including myself, often deride politics and politicians as a dirty business and something to dismiss and look down upon. But it is a sort that belongs to everyone.

You cannot, unless you are an off the grid hermit, and even then that is questionable, avoid casting a political shadow. It is a self-deception to think that your opinions and beliefs and biases can be sealed up so that they have no influence and that those people who do the work of representation in government arent working to some great extent on your behalf.

Much of what you have you have, what you enjoy, what you do, you have securely because a politically negotiated social contract secures it for you.

Anyone who wants to decry politicians generally and politics as a necessary evil consider how you think you would do in a politicians position. You can get a sample of that experience by starting a thread about any given political issue, propose a solution and then try to get a majority to agree to it.

The dirt of politics is YOUR dirt and everyone is responsible for keeping it clean and respectful. Those who don't are the problem.

Any and all comments welcome.

Politicians live in their own world and universe so much so that, unless you're very influential and/or wealthy, peoples opinions wants or views holds no real weight whatsoever when it comes to policymaking and legislation.