# A question that should be asked of every politician **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 3, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363 "2022-07-03T23:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![civilis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@civilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/civilis)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/1 "2022-07-03T23:29:46Z")
What would take precedence in your advocacy as a representative, your country, or your constituency? ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/2 "2022-07-03T23:58:04Z")
What should the answer be? I think there are problems with both, “My country,” and, “My constituency.” Certainly the latter isn’t absolute; that’s how the Civil War started. (It’s also a contributing factor in how long it lasted; Robert E. Lee was given the choice between his country and his state, and he specifically chose his state.) On the other hand, it’s called “representative” government for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/3 "2022-07-03T23:58:55Z")
I was expecting “Is that really your hair?” ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/4 "2022-07-04T00:20:47Z")
Why do you believe every politician should be asked this? What useful information do you think you would gain from their answer? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/5 "2022-07-04T00:29:34Z")
Plus, the simple answer from a politician is that in their view, the needs of their constituency coincide with that of the country. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/6 "2022-07-04T00:31:49Z")
Would you give them **[sodium pentothal](https://gizmodo.com/what-truths-does-truth-serum-sodium-pentothal-actuall-5902559)** first ? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/7 "2022-07-04T01:06:15Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Plus, the simple answer from a politician is that in their view, the needs of their constituency coincide with that of the country. This. Not a single politician is going to be dumb enough to say “I will prioritize Colorado’s interests at the expense of the USA at large.” They will certainly say that whatever they do for Colorado is _good_ for the USA as a whole, and perhaps even genuinely believe it. ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/8 "2022-07-04T01:14:19Z")
“A trolley is headed down the tracks. If it continues on the course it’s on, it will run over everyone in your district. If you switch it to the other track, it will run over everyone else in the country. What do you do?” For some reason, CNN has not invited me to be a debate moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/9 "2022-07-04T01:15:06Z")
Charles E. Wilson was head of General Motors when Eisenhower tapped him to be Secretary of Defense. At his confirmation hearing he was asked if he could make a decision that would be harmful to the interests of GM, he replied “What’s good for our country is good for General Motors, and vice versa.” Wilson was confirmed by a vote of 77-6. ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/10 "2022-07-04T01:16:07Z")
What’s good for M&M Enterprises is good for the army. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/11 "2022-07-04T03:47:38Z")
> [@DeadTreasSecretaries](#): > > A trolley is headed down the tracks. If it continues on the course it’s on, it will run over everyone in your district…" “We don’t have trolleys in my district. Next question please.” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/12 "2022-07-04T12:20:51Z")
I may have a jaundiced view of politicians. 🤢 I assume the ly+ng b+st+rds all think their priority is: 1. them 2. them 3. my party 4. my constituency 5. my country ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/13 "2022-07-04T13:04:00Z")
I think it’s adorable that the OP believes that a politician will give a straight answer to a specific question. mmm ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/14 "2022-07-04T13:20:52Z")
I think the answer should be “my conscience.” Assuming they have a conscience. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/15 "2022-07-04T13:34:51Z")
How about “Do you think a politician’s job is to advocate for what’s best for her constituents, or to advocate for what they want? If opinion polls conflict with the politician’s personal assessments, which should prevail?” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/16 "2022-07-04T13:38:26Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I think it’s adorable that the OP believes that a politician will give a straight answer to a specific question. My thoughts exactly. Well not exactly, I would have used a different word than ‘adorable’. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-that-should-be-asked-of-every-politician/967363/17 "2022-07-04T14:10:16Z")
Nah, for a lot of them, it’s their _religion_ that’s first.