Two types of politicians

Quote: Nareed

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.

This is a clear sign of a broken system. What you have described is not how it should be or how it has to be but rather what came to exist because we elected type 1 and 2 politicians.

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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.

The common good of all people. This means what is best for everyone. Slavery is not best for everyone and there are ways to support the agricultural base of the economy while at the same time eliminating slavery. Don't laugh but I think politicians are meant to inspire us to do what is right and lead us to see new possibilities grounded in truth.

Thanks by the way for changing your signature line.

Quote: FrGamble

This is a clear sign of a broken system. What you have described is not how it should be or how it has to be but rather what came to exist because we elected type 1 and 2 politicians.

Good luck changing it!

The Roman Republic had severe term limits for its (very roughly equivalent) chief of the executive. For starters there were two such officials rather than one, known as Consuls, and each could veto the other without explanation. Their term was set for one year only, and they could NOT stand for election for that post in the next ten years after their term expired.

Do you think that kept the type 1 and 2 out of power? There were other elective offices, and past the Consulship, there was the Senate and multi-year proconsular commands in the provinces.

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The common good of all people. This means what is best for everyone. Slavery is not best for everyone and there are ways to support the agricultural base of the economy while at the same time eliminating slavery.

It took a certain man you may have heard of, his name was Lincoln, four years of the bloodiest war in the Western hemisphere to get rid of slavery. Do you seriously think stating "the common good of all people" would have changed things in the South?

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Don't laugh but I think politicians are meant to inspire us to do what is right and lead us to see new possibilities grounded in truth.

If I start laughing I won't stop until several days past the time when I die laughing.

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Thanks by the way for changing your signature line.

Have you read it??

Quote: Nareed

Have you read it??

Yes and it is much better.

It's kind of an example of what I think politics should be about. While I know and we all recognize that humanity is not perfect I also happen to believe strongly that we are in essence good and want to do what is good. If we tap into that part of us that resonates with what is true and good we can do amazing things. If we develop a culture that is seeks not our own interests but this elusive "common good of all" then amazing things can happen. Yes sometimes we may need to fight against our temptation for power and greed, but it is a fight worth having.

Quote: FrGamble

Yes and it is much better.

No, really. Have you read it?

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If we develop a culture that is seeks not our own interests but this elusive "common good of all" then amazing things can happen.

You'll never get enough people to let go of irrational prejudices, especially when they can cloak these as "the common good."

Take your employer, for example. It's misogynistic and homophobic down to its roots, yet claims to act out of "love." That way you can be "virtuous" while you oppress whomever you like as much as you can get away with. The only reason the Catholic church doesn't have as much of a noxious effect on most people today is that it lacks the power to do much about it. Congregants aren't afraid to disobey the arbitrary or malicious rules they find to be arbitrary or oppressive.

The Libertarians seem to have the best view of the common good of all: Do Nothing.
Politicians want to SPEND to keep squeaky wheels happy and to have ammunition for the next election.
The trouble is that the squeaky wheels are usually expensive, such as the sick or the lazy or minorities, so the money is misallocated as it becomes a tax everyone and feed the loudest and declare it a public good. It never becomes let the sick, lazy and poor die, let the minorities have free abortions until they are filtered out of teh population and otherwise let the taxpayer alone.

Do nothing is the worst view of how to serve the common good. We have a duty and responsibility to help others.

Quote: FrGamble

Do nothing is the worst view of how to serve the common good. We have a duty and responsibility to help others.

You have a duty and responsibility to burn the brush between the fruit trees.
You have a duty and responsibility to focus on the good blossoms and prune the vines.
You have a duty and responsibility to focus on healthy wealthy and wise, not the societal garbage that clamors for an opportunity to suck the blood of the taxpayer.