They are a Bunch of Politicians

God, I hope so!

I hear it often.  “They’re a bunch of politicians.”  Or sometimes, “They’re all out for themselves.”  The speakers seem to be saying, “I don’t want to have anything to do with them and with politics.”

The one doesn’t follow from the other. 

I want candidates who think like me, to win.  “Out for themselves,” means going all out to get elected, i.e. being winners.  

In our political system most legislators are professionals who play to win.  When elected, they support the interests of those who worked with them to help get them elected. 

Why?  (1) They, in all probability, have the same general policy perspective as those that have furthered their career.  A smart voter doesn’t support losers and doesn’t support candidates with whom they disagree.  (2) They know who supported their election and want that support the next time around.  They remember, that is, their “friends.” 

They are professionals, career politicians.  That means skilled at getting elected and competent legislators.  By my vote I hire them to do what I think is best for people like me and for the country.  What’s wrong with that?

I can think of one thing.  One person can’t get someone elected and once elected representative can’t, by him or herself, get the job done in a modern legislature.  Unless I work with others who think like me, who work with candidates who think like us, we don’t put a winning team in place. 

And that’s done how?  We call it a political party.  My guys (and gals) against the other team of professionals that want to take the country in a different direction. 

They are a bunch of politicians. They are out for themselves. They are professional candidates. And when they are my team and they get elected and they enact policies that I favor, they are “Statesmen.”