Politicians and corruption, what comes first, the chicken or the egg?

[MikeyDB]

Kreskin

I don't think "religion" has any place whatsoever in politics. Does that mean that I'd 'outlaw' this or that "religion"...NO!

What I would attempt to establish is that no religion or any adherent to some particular religious persuasion has any more "right" to funding or special treament than any other.

While the United States pays lip-service to the precept of separation of church and state that is but another fantasy of the American public.

 

[karrie]

Don't tell me to take a valium Mikey! Sheesh. :lol:


As for your notion that we're willing to excuse politicians for a lot, that's where we baffle me. Because from my viewpoint, we're more willing to excuse them for actual corruption and abuse of the political system, than we are willing to excuse them for having a slip up in their personal life. This is part of why the notion that we've been brainwashed into believing that corruption is defined by affairs and drug use, bothers me so much. Because (if you'll excuse an analogy here) corruption is an insidious disease in ANY political system. But the media has convinced us that we're looking for a fever to identify it, when really the symptom is an innocuous lump. Yes, you still want to deal with the fevers, no point letting them run rampant. But if you're too busy focusing on the wrong symptom, you end up ignoring the one that will kill you in the end.

 

[MikeyDB]

Karrie

I agree with you a hundred precent but how much success can we expect in holding politicians accountable (for public malfeasance) when they spend taxpayer dollars to retain expensive legal firms to pad the truth against inspection?

Infidelity is much easier to identify and focus on than is the culpability of a Brian Mulroney or a Jean Chretien or a George Bush....

 

[karrie]

Infidelity is much easier to identify and focus on than is the culpability of a Brian Mulroney or a Jean Chretien or a George Bush....

I agree with you there, but what purpose does that serve? Being susceptible to one vice doesn't make you susceptible to all. So we route out all those with sexual issues, and that leaves us with only those politicians who are truly injuring the system. The ones who might have done a good job are gone now, because we went rooting around in their closets. To what end exactly? Has it been shown to improve the political system?

 

[MikeyDB]

Karrie

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.

When we swear an oath to honor our spouse and serve our nation's best interests, does the character or quality of the people most directly affected change the principle behind that oath?

If you exercise so poor a judgment as to bring your career, your family and your sense of morality into such ill repute, what possible assurance can you provide that you'd exercise better judgment elsewhere?

 

[Kreskin]

Why don't you run for office Mikey? You have no vices, never think in a negative way about any group of people. You are a good person. Power only magnifies what you are so you would be a great person, just what everyone is looking for.

If you ask Americans about separation of church and state they will often tell you that their constitution works one way. I'm sure many Canadians would say the same about the charter. It prevents the state from interfering with religion but it doesn't prevent religion from participating in politics.

 

[MikeyDB]

Kreskin

It's taken eighty years of chewing and digesting, weighing and counting, measuring and examining the human condition to get to where I'm at!

And let me tell you right up front.....I'm far far far from perfect nor do I have anything close to all the answers.

My day is past.

 

[MikeyDB]

Thomaska

Corruption comes first.

 

[einmensch]

The whole honest politician is a joke.
#1 Once elected he/she votes as told to vote by the party. Your representative no longer represents the electors. Bribes, set ups and blackmail in many disguises--- Bob Rae becomes Premier and he opens and alters the Ontario Teachers' Contract, Harper wanted Canada in Iraq, Dion makes alot of noise and then falls in line on extending the Afghan mission--but supports it only "reconstruction and development" (building a gas pipeline)
Democracy at present--voting is giving power of attorney and then Big $$ men tell them what to do with the power of attorney--like give the power to issue and determine the value of currency to a private group of individuals that call themselves the Bank of Canada
What % of Canadians want Canada out of Afghanistan? Not only but we committed to more years!!

 

[johai]

The whole honest politician is a joke.
#1 Once elected he/she votes as told to vote by the party. Your representative no longer represents the electors. Bribes, set ups and blackmail in many disguises--- Bob Rae becomes Premier and he opens and alters the Ontario Teachers' Contract, Harper wanted Canada in Iraq, Dion makes alot of noise and then falls in line on extending the Afghan mission--but supports it only "reconstruction and development" (building a gas pipeline)
Democracy at present--voting is giving power of attorney and then Big $$ men tell them what to do with the power of attorney--like give the power to issue and determine the value of currency to a private group of individuals that call themselves the Bank of Canada
What % of Canadians want Canada out of Afghanistan? Not only but we committed to more years!!

Harper is in Bush's back pocket and he is also D & D. I say 100%. We are Peace Keepers not USA type war mongers and imperialists. Never should have happened.

 

[johai]

Harper is in Bush's back pocket and he is also D & D. I say 100%. We are Peace Keepers not USA type war mongers and imperialists. Never should have happened.

Why do Buckaroos always challenge worse?

 

[talloola]

With the exception of very wealthy people,( who I think go into politics to make sure they
retain their wealth, or make it bigger), I think the majority of candidates who are successful have the 'good' of the people in mind, BUT, government is run by corporations, and
the amount of pressure that is put on these people, make them eventually 'cave', and they
just follow the status quo, and it becomes the 'same ole' ' same ole', very pitiful.

 

[darkbeaver]

As Mickey has already said corruption comes first and I will add that if you are not corrupt from the beginning you will not get far in politics in the western world and it's been that way for a very long time. The elite bend the electables or the electables do not take office.