I hate it when politicians use the word "folks"

[ZRod]

This:

OK, that's a nice fluffy bunny story you got there... but in the real world, people have families they want to provide for. They make career decisions mainly based on compensation.

And this:

I would just like to see more people from the private sector get into politics, instead of all these career politicians.

Don't seem to mesh well.

 

You may think it's just fluff, but I firmly believe that serving in a political office should be viewed similar to military service. You serve for the people of this nation, and your decision shouldn't be based on salary or compensation (which as Moiraine and I pointed out before isn't too shabby) but rather a sense of duty. There is so much wrong right now with the way things are in Washington and while a pay cut isn't going to fix them all it's a start. Things need to be thought about fundamentally different before they can begin to change.

[Conga3]

Taking money directly from lobbyists is illegal. Not sure why you are using that to support your argument for reducing their current pay? Why not throw them in jail?

 

Now, maybe you are referring to when a lobbyist funds a politician's campaign fund in exchange for favorable votes, etc.. This is very much legal, as it should be.

 

If you walked up to your representative and said I'd like you to vote on ____ , here is $100 for your reelection campaign. All is good, right? But you had to take the day off work, and take time to go see him at the rally...and really how much are they going to hear you and remember your request?

 

If you group yourself with 1000 other like minded "folks", hire a lobbyist for $20,000 and funnel through them $80,000 ($100 per person) to the politician's campaign, etc.. for a similar end goal, vote on _____ ... that is legal too.

 

Remember, a lobbyist is simply representing a group of people. Whether hired by a corporation (group is those employees and indirectly the consumers) or a special interest group (members of the organization), they are hired to more efficiently reach your representatives and persuade them one way or another. It's a cornerstone of democracy... but some folks think they're "evil" or the source for all problems.

 

If you've never been a part of an organization that needed to hire a lobbyist to "go to work for your cause", and the only information you receive is from other people with a similar lack of experience, then OK - you can have a pass.

 

Lobbyist aren't the problem, unless you hate democracy...

 

--

 

I'm not trying to say politicians shouldn't have a "public servant" mentality. I agree. If someone is successful in the private sector and they enter politics, they are almost guaranteed to take a HUGE pay cut.

 

The burden that is put on your family and yourself is great no matter what...and that alone keeps most people away - regardless of what we would pay them.

 

My point is simply, raising the salary brings a few more "capable" people into to equation, while reducing the salary only works to reduce the number of "capable" people.

 

I realize people have a different idea what a "good" politician is...and that might be something we won't agree on.

[ZRod]

But just giving some one a higher wage doesn't mean you get more capable employees, why don't we pay teachers twice what they get now? Their worth every penny in my opinion. I just differ in that I think politicians shouldn't be making twice what most Americans are making and not working year round, that's where we fundamentally differ I suppose.

[Conga3]

[ZRod]

Don't give up. I was just agreeing to disagree.

[Michiganball]

Yea the folks thing, even worse was the creepy "dear friends" from McCain. But the most artificial thing has to be that weird fist with the thumb on top of it.

[Ziggy]

They teach that in speech and politics classes.

[strigori]

Taking money directly from lobbyists is illegal. Not sure why you are using that to support your argument for reducing their current pay? Why not throw them in jail?

 

Now, maybe you are referring to when a lobbyist funds a politician's campaign fund in exchange for favorable votes, etc.. This is very much legal, as it should be.

 

If you walked up to your representative and said I'd like you to vote on ____ , here is $100 for your reelection campaign. All is good, right? But you had to take the day off work, and take time to go see him at the rally...and really how much are they going to hear you and remember your request?

 

If you group yourself with 1000 other like minded "folks", hire a lobbyist for $20,000 and funnel through them $80,000 ($100 per person) to the politician's campaign, etc.. for a similar end goal, vote on _____ ... that is legal too.

 

Remember, a lobbyist is simply representing a group of people. Whether hired by a corporation (group is those employees and indirectly the consumers) or a special interest group (members of the organization), they are hired to more efficiently reach your representatives and persuade them one way or another. It's a cornerstone of democracy... but some folks think they're "evil" or the source for all problems.

 

If you've never been a part of an organization that needed to hire a lobbyist to "go to work for your cause", and the only information you receive is from other people with a similar lack of experience, then OK - you can have a pass.

 

Lobbyist aren't the problem, unless you hate democracy...

 

--

 

I'm not trying to say politicians shouldn't have a "public servant" mentality. I agree. If someone is successful in the private sector and they enter politics, they are almost guaranteed to take a HUGE pay cut.

 

The burden that is put on your family and yourself is great no matter what...and that alone keeps most people away - regardless of what we would pay them.

 

My point is simply, raising the salary brings a few more "capable" people into to equation, while reducing the salary only works to reduce the number of "capable" people.

 

I realize people have a different idea what a "good" politician is...and that might be something we won't agree on.

But trips, meals, and a host of other things are legal to give politicians. And a number of politicians join the boards of companies that lobbied them after the leave office. Also note that very few politicians leave Washington poorer than when they went in.

 

I would be all for writing up laws where it is illegal for elected officials to hold any form of stock in private companies. Make them be forced to sell it off and convert it into treasury bonds. There is too much conflict of interest when someone gets to regulate or pass laws on an industry that they have a financial stake in.

[Moiraine]

Yea the folks thing, even worse was the creepy "dear friends" from McCain. But the most artificial thing has to be that weird fist with the thumb on top of it.

 

Clinton did that all the time. It drove me nuts.