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| Thursday, December 29, 2005 |
| Pet Peeve: Politicians don't "serve" |
"People should remember that Duke Cunningham has honorably served this country, sometimes in great danger, for 35 years." - Rep. Duncan Hunter
Meant to post this awhile ago... it always bugs me when politicans talk about their "service" to the country. I don't buy it. Being a politician is a job, and a great one at that. You become famous, and have multiple very lucrative exit options should you ever decide to not "serve" any longer.
And let's not use a similar verb to describe what politicians do and what soldiers do.
So here's to never having to hear another politician say "it's been my pleasure to serve the people of...". It should be: "it's been really fun to see myself in the papers. I'm now going to make $50,000 a speech. Thanks!" |
posted by CB @ 4:39 PM   |
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| 2 Comments: |
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I agree that the vast majority of politicians today do not serve the people. I think this is one of the big problems with the current political climate in the US. I do, however, think that the rhetoric of service is very important. It should be used not by politicians to congratulate one another for their service, as used to defend Cunningham. Instead it should be used to invoke their duties.
A politician such as, say, a congressman is supposed to be a civil servant. It is his
job to represent and serve his constituents, or at least the best interests of his constituents (defining the difference between these two and which should actually be served is a different can of worms).
In my opinion, the rhetoric of service should not dissappear. Instead it should be used to confront politicians like Cunningham and other politicians who put their own greedy interests before the interests of the people.
I realize this is a rather naive argument. Almost all politicians look out for themselves first, but I
still believe that the notion of service is essential to the American Democratic system.
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I agree that the vast majority of politicians today do not serve the people. I think this is one of the big problems with the current political climate in the US. I do, however, think that the rhetoric of service is very important. It should be used not by politicians to congratulate one another for their service, as used to defend Cunningham. Instead it should be used to invoke their duties.
A politician such as, say, a congressman is supposed to be a civil servant. It is his
job to represent and serve his constituents, or at least the best interests of his constituents (defining the difference between these two and which should actually be served is a different can of worms).
In my opinion, the rhetoric of service should not dissappear. Instead it should be used to confront politicians like Cunningham and other politicians who put their own greedy interests before the interests of the people.
I realize this is a rather naive argument. Almost all politicians look out for themselves first, but I
still believe that the notion of service is essential to the American Democratic system.
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I agree that the vast majority of politicians today do not serve the people. I think this is one of the big problems with the current political climate in the US. I do, however, think that the rhetoric of service is very important. It should be used not by politicians to congratulate one another for their service, as used to defend Cunningham. Instead it should be used to invoke their duties.
A politician such as, say, a congressman is supposed to be a civil servant. It is his
job to represent and serve his constituents, or at least the best interests of his constituents (defining the difference between these two and which should actually be served is a different can of worms).
In my opinion, the rhetoric of service should not dissappear. Instead it should be used to confront politicians like Cunningham and other politicians who put their own greedy interests before the interests of the people.
I realize this is a rather naive argument. Almost all politicians look out for themselves first, but I
still believe that the notion of service is essential to the American Democratic system.