Why on earth would anyone want or aspire to a career in politics. Is anyone arrogant enough to believe that they themselves can fix the political mess that we have going? Or is it just a “lifetime” of falling on grenades virtuously trying to make a difference for the “public good”?

If you asked many people today, the most attractive thing about a career in politics is the perks and benefits. The long lasting benefits for even a brief term in many elected offices is huge. Government pensions and health care benefits are among the most generous, and the most unearned – that is there is no pay for performance or longevity, and you have to be convicted of a crime before they can be taken away.

Is it possible that many who start their political career with an altruistic approach become jaded and twisted by the power culture in place? Or is it more likely that power culture is created by individuals who already crave power that they can use for the benefit of their constituents, but end up trading that benefit to stay in power.

Does the appeal of staying in power; of getting re-elected – trump the desire to do good. Do we incent our elected officials in ways that runs counter to the greater good? Must I stay elected (keep my job) by supporting ideas that get me elected, but in the long run damage the city, state, nation?

Is my job to sell the greater good to my constituents (how many representatives actually do this?), to explain and educate my constituent about the difficult choices that need to be made, and in so doing to inoculate them against “dumbassery”. Do I “rat” out my peers and fellow party members when I see them acting in ways that work against what I believe is the long term common good, to gain power or control in the short term.

OR

Is my job to bring back good things to my constituents, ignoring the long term common good, in favor of ingratiating myself and getting re-elected.

How does a career politician keep his or her perspective? How does she not become callous, jaded, desensitized to the way the power culture uses the political system, manipulating rules and committing expediencies without thought of the consequences or the collateral damage. How does one maintain ones moral compass in a world fraught with moral relativism, and a whole bucket of incentives to sell out. How does one not get stuck rationalizing the bad things I agreed to for the common good, and then start rationalizing bad things I did for good reasons, or rationalizing bad things I did to get more opportunity to do good, or rationalizing bad things I did, because it seemed like a good idea at the time.

As I get more and more frustrated with our national and state governments, I often consider running for public office. It doesn’t take me very long to decide it is a bad idea.