Politics is a career, just like plumbing or playing [toward] professional basketball. So, the question is not if all career politicians are good or bad but whether we, as a country, have a career path for them.
The answer: Yes, we do in America, but a very bad one called “elections,” thanks to democracy!
We do not do that in plumbing or playing professional basketball, but we do it in politics.
Why?
Brainless or intellectually lazy!
1. A brief overview of US Congress
According to Salaries of Members of the United States Congress, Members of Congress were virtually unpaid until 1855. In other words, to be a Member of Congress, first you had to make it (i.e., becoming financially independent), then you served with honor for a few years, and finally you went home after serving. Serving was never meant to be a way of life – not even to make a living, let alone a career!
Below is an excerpt from Congressional offices and staff.
All hell broke loose during the 1970s, as the era of “all politicians are career politicians” began. Since then, most, if not all, Members of Congress have been serving for one purpose, and one purpose only: getting re-elected ad nauseam.
In other words, it stopped being about us, or about the U.S. – It became all about them, and themselves only!
2. How to get elected for a public office?
Read the image below.
3. How to make a career out of politics?
Getting re-elected ad nauseam!
4. How to get re-elected for a public office?
Running for re-election every day while in office!
To know what a typical Congressman like David Jolly did on daily basis, read Term Limits for US Congress.
The image below offers another example.
5. The system keeps getting worse and worse
Below is a recent example.
6. How to get more votes?
By all means!
The image below highlights one example …
7. The symptom is well-known
8. A fake solution
Let us elect someone who is not a [career] politician.
Okay, unusual times require unusual measures. America desperately needs a great, peaceful transformational leader like China’s Deng. So, let us give Trump another chance!
For more. Read An open letter to President-elect Trump.
9. What is the real solution?
A short-term solution: Term Limits for US Congress.
A long-term solution: Developing a meritocracy-based system throughout society and gradually replacing more “elections” with more “selections,” as China has done over the past 2,000 years!
For more, read the book cited at the end of this post.
10. Closing
Worldwide, most good politicians are career politicians. Some are great, especially in China, but many are bad in almost all democracies!
America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline), or become a fiddle, second to China!
