Do politicians have enough incentive to do good work?

[lekatt]

@kunilou

I’ve known politicians at all levels from city council and school board members up to a couple of senators who flirted with running for President. Every single one of them, regardless of their political leanings (or their personal moral character) thought they were doing something that could make the world a better place.

In fact, that holds true for all the legislative assistants and low-level staffers I’ve come in contact with. They aren’t in it for the money. They sincerely feel what they do is important, even world-changing.

With that kind of internal motivation, some sort of “incentive” mentioned by the OP would be meaningless. Besides, who gets to decide the incentive when elected official A fights to the death to block legislation introduced by elected official B? Who decides whether A is being an obstructionist or B is a dangerous radical?

Oh, I forgot. We do. It’s called an election.

Yes, I think all the politicians feel they can make it a better world, if the other politicians would just let them. It is not right or left, republican or democrat, it is more like what is right or wrong. All these things are opinions. I would like to see a national health care system, but more than that I would like to see honesty and intregrity return to government at all levels.

[Love_Rhombus]

Yes, but supposing you are a dishonest politician who takes huge bribes and has a seamy personal life but never gets caught. Why would you change? There have been many politicians whose scandals were forgotten or “accepted” by the average guy and who didn’t lose their seats. Yes, we have the power of the election, but that can be redirected or dulled by the money and influence that the lawmakers can bring to bear. It takes a lot to rouse the people, and it doesn’t happen often enough.

That, and I really believe that the genuine desire to do good gets squeezed out of most lawmakers (those who have it) before they have the chance to positively change things. If you have to hack through the jungle of compromise and intrigue just to make a bill that gets pardoned or watered down anyway, why bother?