Two types of politicians

naturally there are more than two types, but I want to focus on two types in particular.

Type 1 advocates such policies as will get them elected (or re-elected). They don't particularly care about implementing them, and do so, if at all, merely to gain re-election or to maintain donations or support or votes or whatever. Their purpose is having an elective office for the power, the money, the money available after office, etc.

Type 2 wants to gain an elective office because they want to implement certain policies. They may advocate additional policies in order to gain or keep the office, just like Type 1, but they care very much about their pet policies and do want to implement them. This is not to say they don't care about the power or money that come with the office, but it's not their primary purpose. They might still go that route if the power or money were less or even absent.

It would seem that Type 2 is the kind of politician most people would want.

Is it?

I would like a Type 3 that wants to gain an elective office to serve the common good. They listen well to their constitutes and understand their problems and work towards solutions that are the best for the community as a whole. This means they don't have pet projects that they push and they realize that they don't have all the answers just themselves. Their ideas come from the ground up and he or she crafts legislation and gets it past using real political skill of compromise and discussion. This kind of person is NOT a career politician and is there to work and serve while wanting eventually to get back to their real jobs whatever that might be.

I think almost all are type 1. I recently went to a talk by former Las Vegas major Jan Jones and she said every politician cares about two things:

1. Get elected.
2. Get re-elected.

Quote: FrGamble

I would like a Type 3 that wants to gain an elective office to serve the common good. They listen well to their constitutes and understand their problems and work towards solutions that are the best for the community as a whole. This means they don't have pet projects that they push and they realize that they don't have all the answers just themselves. Their ideas come from the ground up and he or she crafts legislation and gets it past using real political skill of compromise and discussion. This kind of person is NOT a career politician and is there to work and serve while wanting eventually to get back to their real jobs whatever that might be.

You just described Trump perfectly. And
portrayed the polar opposite of Hillary.

Quote: Evenbob

You just described Trump perfectly. And
portrayed the polar opposite of Hillary.

+1

Not to mention Obama.

I do not understand why we call "public service" such a good thing. We would be so much better off if people got the idea out of their heads.

Quote: AZDuffman

+1

Not to mention Obama.

I do not understand why we call "public service" such a good thing. We would be so much better off if people got the idea out of their heads.

That's right. I don't want your stinking "public service" leave me alone. I'm not bothering you. Why you screwin' with me?

Quote: pew

That's right. I don't want your stinking "public service" leave me alone. I'm not bothering you. Why you screwin' with me?

What got me was when Obama proposed some kind of student loan forgiveness for taking a public sector job a few years back.

Lets see, more secure job with higher pay and you want to reward people even more for that?

Quote: AZDuffman

What got me was when Obama proposed some kind of student loan forgiveness for taking a public sector job a few years back.

Lets see, more secure job with higher pay and you want to reward people even more for that?

If you're dumb enough to go to college you deserve what you get. A hundred thousand in debt for a degree in art friken histry.

Type 2 politicians would never get re-elected. They soon learn to become Type 1 or they fade away.
The first thing a politician learns is that your OUT box can hurt you, but your IN box can not. Anything you actually DO can bite you, so just make speeches and oil the squeaky wheels in your district and other than that do nothing but smile at the camera and kiss that little brat.

Quote: FrGamble

I would like a Type 3 that wants to gain an elective office to serve the common good.

You know, that's the most dangerous kind of politician there can be. Worse than a type 2 with incredibly horrid policies, like Trump.

See:

Quote:

They listen well to their constitutes and understand their problems and work towards solutions that are the best for the community as a whole. This means they don't have pet projects that they push and they realize that they don't have all the answers just themselves. Their ideas come from the ground up and he or she crafts legislation and gets it past using real political skill of compromise and discussion. This kind of person is NOT a career politician and is there to work and serve while wanting eventually to get back to their real jobs whatever that might be.

The last clause is too convenient. It takes time to implement policies. Few politicians will accomplish anything with one or two terms in office. They'll need more, and for that they need to get re-elected several times. And for that to happen they must pander to the most popular sentiment, whatever it may be. This means at best leaving smaller, less popular and unpopular groups of people to their own devices, and at worst throwing them under the buss of popularity.

Than, too, what do you mean by "the common good"? It can easily be argued the "common good" of southern states required slavery and oppression of African Americans. Or do you want the agricultural base of the economy to collapse? Try to give black people the vote, and you won't just find it impossible to be re-elected, you'll be run out of town if you're lucky.