# I've come to the sad realization \[about our elected representatives\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 29, 2021, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-come-to-the-sad-realization-about-our-elected-representatives/947606 "2021-07-29T20:32:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-come-to-the-sad-realization-about-our-elected-representatives/947606/21 "2021-07-31T06:41:35Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > If I could pick only three things to fulfill the “US is doomed” scenario, I’d go with: > > Almost 75,000,000 Americans voted for Trump. > Fox News is the most watched news program. > Of the 100 US senators, 52 of them represent only 18% of the US electorate. Or, to best put us out of our misery, scientists have just observed a GRB (Gamma Ray Burst) a-heading our way. This should be faster and more painless than anything the politicians can do. [NASA’s Fermi spots a strange pulse of high-energy radiation heading towards Earth](https://www.fr24news.com/a/2021/07/nasas-fermi-spots-a-strange-pulse-of-high-energy-radiation-heading-towards-earth.html) > **[MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-xl/money/tech-and-science/radiation-blast-that-hit-earth-was-record-breaking-energy-burst-from-dying-star/ar-AAMCjOw)** ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-come-to-the-sad-realization-about-our-elected-representatives/947606/22 "2021-07-31T15:06:43Z")
I tend to think of horrible elected representatives as a vermin infestation – you’re always going to have some to deal with, but we create the circumstances in which they can truly flourish. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-come-to-the-sad-realization-about-our-elected-representatives/947606/23 "2021-07-31T21:03:57Z")
ISTM that politics attracts many different types of people. One type (yes, they exist) think of elected office as a chance to serve the public and improve the lives of fellow citizens. Another type gives all appearance of being unemployable in real life and sees elected office as chance to get a well paying job and do little real work. We don’t hear much in the media about about the first type, but the second type - they know that making the noisiest clown show keeps them employed. I have always said that even morons deserve representation, sadly this is becoming more the case. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2021, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-come-to-the-sad-realization-about-our-elected-representatives/947606/24 "2021-08-01T23:28:19Z")
Although it’s been implicitly stated by other posters in this thread, welcome to the club. [I started a similar thread about this topic nine years ago](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-general-quality-of-candidates-running-for-office-in-decline/632408) and the situation has only gotten worse. Back then, I attributed the problem to the extensive amount of time and money needed to run for office. That’s still a big factor, but now there’s a greater impulse to dispose of any inclination to think rationally about issues. That’s why you have so many politicians rallying around dubious causes and espousing conspiracy theories that not too long ago would’ve landed them in mental institutions or at least resulted in having guardians ad litem appointed to handle their affairs. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-come-to-the-sad-realization-about-our-elected-representatives/947606/25 "2021-08-03T09:10:51Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > I have always said that even morons deserve representation, sadly this is becoming more the case. This is very reminiscent of Nixon’s nomination of Harrold Carswell for the Supreme Court in 1970. When he was widely criticized for being too “mediocre” to be a Supreme Court justice, [he was defended by Senator Roman Hruska](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/against-meritocracy-remembering-judge-carswell-and_b_592c4e84e4b0a7b7b469cc55). > [@](#): > > They are joined together in the footnotes of history, mentioned for only one statement. When Carswell was nominated by President Richard Nixon to take the seat of Justice Abe Fortas, Hruska said of the candidate for the high court: “Even if he were mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren’t they, and a little chance?” ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-come-to-the-sad-realization-about-our-elected-representatives/947606/26 "2021-08-03T23:06:27Z")
Considering what we have now, “mediocre” now looks good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-come-to-the-sad-realization-about-our-elected-representatives/947606.md?page=1)