Are All Politicians Corrupt?

[Zap]

Originally Posted by Cricket

Seriously, is there any politicians left with any character, or are they all corrupt?

Not all of them... just the ones still breathing.

Originally Posted by Cricket

What would need to happen to bring the power back to the people (if they ever had it) for checks and balances?

That power will not be handed back to the people willingly.
They will have to take it back.

[txshellie]

I think that politics does attract a higher percentage of unethical dishonest people than some jobs. I also think that there are plenty of people that are just working hard to serve their constituents. You just don't hear about them much in the press.

Political shenanigans and the press's involvement in them have been with us since the beginning of time... it's just that in the beginning, they used rocks and chisels.

I don't think today's political environment is any worse that it was 200 years ago - for example, Andrew Jackson was convinced that politics and the press killed his wife.

I think that we actually need to hold politicians accountable for what they do by voting them out of office - and keeping a closer eye on what's going on rather than believing everything we believe on TV or the radio. Perhaps a little time on CSPAN would be a good thing for everyone.

One current political contest that comes to mind is one close to here over in Dallas (I saw a billboard about it last week). There is a woman running for office who has held her seat in congress for 10 terms. She was the deputy whip at one time. A couple of years ago, it was shown that while sitting as the chairperson of a scholarship committee she gave at least 23 scholarships out to her grandchildren and kids of friends/aides. She claimed she didn't know the rules and promised to pay back the scholarships.

Seriously? The scholarships weren't for very much money but does it matter about the dollar amount?

There is a big billboard in Dallas that shows a quote from President Obama saying that she needs your vote.

There doesn't seem to be penalties in place for anything nowadays. That just seems to make the corruption worse.

You have to start thinking about what DC and the press and the country in general thinks is actually corrupt or unethical. Those rules and morays seem to be changing every day.

One man is censured by congress for yelling out "You Lie" and another Senator received the same penalty for lying and cheating on his taxes for years.

It's a quandry but I don't know given the nature of "human nature" that there is a real solution.

Perhaps a little common sense?

[dashnuke]

perhaps some politicians are corrupt, but i still believe that few of them are not the same..

[bruskmikkar]

Yeah... Most) Those who are not, look like geeks.

[djkhrystyan]

i think this situation is everywhere , in every country . If there are some good guys (if) they are overwhelmed by the corrupt ones. Coruption was , is and it will allways be in every society. Unfortunately

[norm17]

Originally Posted by Cricket

Seriously, is there any politicians left with any character, or are they all corrupt?

What would need to happen to bring the power back to the people (if they ever had it) for checks and balances?

in my country i think not all politicians are corrupt there are some politician do his work,they use their power to serve not the use of power to corrupt our country...maybe the government should convict all corrupt politician to stop corruption in each country.

[iSynergy Media]

some good politicians exist,but we have to blame the system when a truthful person comes to that position he too becomes corrupt.I am from pakistan ,they are many people sacrificed life for the welfare of people and did not earn any thing for themselves

[Puta]

Not all of them. Just most.

I think the system itself is at fault too.

[neo127]

Most the politicians are corrupt as it is quite difficult to handle big responsibilities and most of them fails in it and thus they are known as the corrupt politicians.

[setx_webdev]

pol·i·tic (pl-tk) - adj.

1. Using or marked by prudence, expedience, and shrewdness; artful.
2. Using, displaying, or proceeding from policy; judicious: a politic decision.
3. Crafty; cunning

Used since around 1529, the very definition of the word can bring to mind the nuances of of impropriety.

There are reasons why we call them politicians.

Here are two examples:

Sheila Jackson Lee - Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 18th district - 1995 to present
Ron Paul - Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 14th district - 1997 to present

Two very strikingly different individuals .. Both are career politicians .. Are both corrupt? .. or not? ..

We elect a lot of well meaning people into office .. and often based on our own moral or ethical premise.
It can be said of a nation, that who we choose to represent us, is a mirror of who we are as a whole.
You don't have to be the sharpest tool in the shed, you just have to be liked well enough to keep winning those elections.

Are all politicians corrupt? .. Well, yes .. but then again .. No. It all depends on who you talk to and what the constituancy agenda is.

When you put the people that vote into the equation as it relates to the question of corruption and politics, you'll always get a yes and a no answer.

[Leandro]

If all politicians may corrupt then everywhere we would find anarchy I think some politicians are really good and want to develope theri own countries. But as they are very little in number so the developmet of public is very slow.

[mariyajames]

Well, no all politicians are not corrupt.

[Brave7]

If you have Netflix, you can watch "The Best Government Money Can Buy?" at: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Th...6?trkid=438403

It is not if the politicians are corrupt, but how the system is builded to corrupt Politicians.

[cetak777]

I believe not all of them are corrupt, some of them still hold on certain value.

[PrimeOutsourcing]

A good politician must have an integrity and will power; strong enough to not be influenced by the perils of power..

[snakeair]

Originally Posted by PrimeOutsourcing

A good politician must have an integrity and will power; strong enough to not be influenced by the perils of power..

Good luck on finding the perfect person.

[cameronpalte]

Generally yes. Because it may cost millions of dollars to run for president to help advertise and your not going to get picked because no company will market you unless you become "corrupt" and do what they ask of you.

Therefore unless you're a billionaire (and are running), and no one becomes that rich by spending all their money to help others, people only spend their money on that once they become rich than it'll be very hard to get picked.

Once I manage to become a billionaire, that's one of my goals to become a governor/president that isn't just doing it to make money for themself.

[tanveerhabib]

not all but 99 percent are corrupt

[rankwatch]

I think all the Politicians are corrupt more or less. It may be 5-10 politicians that are not corrupted otherwise Politics becomes a corruption for money making field.