Zone1 What is it about jobs in politics?

[Mac1958]

This could easily be a non-partisan thread if we let it.

I've been wondering about this for a long time: What is it about jobs in politics, from local and state positions to national staff jobs to Congress? What is it about the lifestyle or other benefits that are so amazing and attractive that so many people are willing to:

• Put themselves and their families in the political bullseye and under the public microscope
• Deal with all the anger and hate from the other party
• Trudge through all the constant ass-kissing and fundraising they have to do
• Lie and obfuscate and bullshit and distort and spin for their party
• Kiss party leaders' butts for plum committee positions (I hear that's important)
• Sell their soul to even bigger nutcases to keep their gig

Are there are former politicians or former politicos here who can shed some light on this? Does anyone have any ideas that I'm missing?

 

[Canon Shooter]

I like to believe that every politician, regardless of party affiliation, gets into politics to try to improve our country, and I think they all start out trying to go down that path.

The problem is the people who they have to look to in order to learn the gig. Far more often than not it's politicians who've been at the game a while and know how to work the system.

I think that's one of the reasons someone like Bill Clinton (blue dress notwithstanding) was a successful President. I can't speak for anyone else but, financially, I know my family was in better shape when he left office than when he took office. He knew how to work the game. He knew how to get things done.

On the flipside, if you look at someone like Trump, he wasn't a lifelong politician, so he didn't know the game. I agreed with pretty much all of his policies, but I think he was a bad example of an American President in how he played the game. A good President knows the art of political compromise. That was an alien concept to Trump. His strength is in business compromise. His nicknames grew old and tiresome, and he even attacked those within his own party.

That's just not that an effective plan inside the beltway.

So, I guess that's the long way around to saying that I think people get into politics because they think they can make things better, and they get out of politics when they realize they can't...

 

[ozro]

"if you can't make it in private enterprise, you can always get a government job. If you can't hold a government job, you can run for office"
My grandfather ( the actual'Ozro')

 

[Darkwind]

This could easily be a non-partisan thread if we let it.

I've been wondering about this for a long time: What is it about jobs in politics, from local and state positions to national staff jobs to Congress? What is it about the lifestyle or other benefits that are so amazing and attractive that so many people are willing to:

• Put themselves and their families in the political bullseye and under the public microscope
• Deal with all the anger and hate from the other party
• Trudge through all the constant ass-kissing and fundraising they have to do
• Lie and obfuscate and bullshit and distort and spin for their party
• Kiss party leaders' butts for plum committee positions (I hear that's important)
• Sell their soul to even bigger nutcases to keep their gig

Are there are former politicians or former politicos here who can shed some light on this? Does anyone have any ideas that I'm missing?

One need only look at where the current senior politicos are financially and do a little research into what they had before becoming a politico.

That right there is the single greatest incentive to tolerate all that you list and more.

Just look at Pelosi, McConnell, and Schumer. Even the 'supposed' morally faithful succumb to the money.

 

[flacaltenn]

This could easily be a non-partisan thread if we let it.

I've been wondering about this for a long time: What is it about jobs in politics, from local and state positions to national staff jobs to Congress? What is it about the lifestyle or other benefits that are so amazing and attractive that so many people are willing to:

• Put themselves and their families in the political bullseye and under the public microscope
• Deal with all the anger and hate from the other party
• Trudge through all the constant ass-kissing and fundraising they have to do
• Lie and obfuscate and bullshit and distort and spin for their party
• Kiss party leaders' butts for plum committee positions (I hear that's important)
• Sell their soul to even bigger nutcases to keep their gig

Are there are former politicians or former politicos here who can shed some light on this? Does anyone have any ideas that I'm missing?

A lot of those work hazards derive DIRECTLY by having an UNSTABLE 2 party system that tends to devolve to polarization and creating extremists. I currently work with aspiring INDEPENDENT candidates for office and boot camp them in writing platforms and debating WITHOUT going "negative" on the other parties involved. (and how to deal with attacks on them).

I THINK if you find people who run for office that wont go negative on the other party AND they are NOT BEHOLDING to a party leadership -- they will not experience those kinds of problems.

Like when you look at how the 2 parties have REMAKEN Congress in their own images, there are only 4 party LEADERS there with 95% of the power and speech. THe other 531 are virtually VOID of original initiative or thinking/speech.

THE WRONG people are GOING INTO THESE JOBS. They are conditioned not on principles and PROBLEM SOLVING -- but purely on "winning for the party". Thus the lying, butt kissing, soul selling and everything you mentioned -- NATURALLY FOLLOWS.

 

[frigidweirdo]

This could easily be a non-partisan thread if we let it.

I've been wondering about this for a long time: What is it about jobs in politics, from local and state positions to national staff jobs to Congress? What is it about the lifestyle or other benefits that are so amazing and attractive that so many people are willing to:

• Put themselves and their families in the political bullseye and under the public microscope
• Deal with all the anger and hate from the other party
• Trudge through all the constant ass-kissing and fundraising they have to do
• Lie and obfuscate and bullshit and distort and spin for their party
• Kiss party leaders' butts for plum committee positions (I hear that's important)
• Sell their soul to even bigger nutcases to keep their gig

Are there are former politicians or former politicos here who can shed some light on this? Does anyone have any ideas that I'm missing?

It's an easy job. If you want it to be.
All you need to do is convince people to vote for you, then sit back and rake in the money.

 

[Mac1958]

It's an easy job. If you want it to be.
All you need to do is convince people to vote for you, then sit back and rake in the money.

So do you think those things I listed represent a small and manageable percentage of the job?

Also, it seems like those below the surface -- the aides and staffers -- have it even worse, constantly having to hustle around and make things easy for the top person, not getting any of the adoration or accolades. Or money. Or power.

I don't know. I'm the first to admit I don't understand politics, top to bottom. This seems like a horrible lifestyle, but I'm obviously wrong. They'll do anything to protect it.

 

[sartre play]

Winning for the party of choice takes priority over any form of doing what is better for our country, The lies & distortions are growing out of control.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

This could easily be a non-partisan thread if we let it.

I've been wondering about this for a long time: What is it about jobs in politics, from local and state positions to national staff jobs to Congress? What is it about the lifestyle or other benefits that are so amazing and attractive that so many people are willing to:

• Put themselves and their families in the political bullseye and under the public microscope
• Deal with all the anger and hate from the other party
• Trudge through all the constant ass-kissing and fundraising they have to do
• Lie and obfuscate and bullshit and distort and spin for their party
• Kiss party leaders' butts for plum committee positions (I hear that's important)
• Sell their soul to even bigger nutcases to keep their gig

Are there are former politicians or former politicos here who can shed some light on this? Does anyone have any ideas that I'm missing?

They get to be in "the know." They get to be seen hobnobbing with the "right people." They get feeling of importance and power themselves and it ultimately gets them closer to having their own power.

 

[Mac1958]

They get to be in "the know." They get to be seen hobnobbing with the "right people." They get feeling of importance and power themselves and it ultimately gets them closer to having their own power.

That's kind of what I'm thinking. Just a specific need that some people have to be a mover and a shaker of some kind.

That has to be a REALLY strong impulse to go through all that.

 

[candycorn]

This could easily be a non-partisan thread if we let it.

I've been wondering about this for a long time: What is it about jobs in politics, from local and state positions to national staff jobs to Congress? What is it about the lifestyle or other benefits that are so amazing and attractive that so many people are willing to:

• Put themselves and their families in the political bullseye and under the public microscope
• Deal with all the anger and hate from the other party
• Trudge through all the constant ass-kissing and fundraising they have to do
• Lie and obfuscate and bullshit and distort and spin for their party
• Kiss party leaders' butts for plum committee positions (I hear that's important)
• Sell their soul to even bigger nutcases to keep their gig

Are there are former politicians or former politicos here who can shed some light on this? Does anyone have any ideas that I'm missing?

For one party it's an incredibly easy gig. You just have to be against everything and preach fear. You get fame, attention, and a nice paycheck for very little work.

For the other party, it's a pretty tough job. They make it much more difficult than they have to though.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Think of politics like football.

Millions of kids play football at the high school level. The best at it go on to play in college and the best of those become pros. The VERY best of those can rake in untold millions and even the borderline special teams players make more than you or I ever will.

The same goes for politics. People join school boards and become community organizers. Some go on to be elected at the town and city level, then the state and for some, eventually the national level. That is where the real money is to be made.

The real money is made by speaking engagements where politicians make fortunes. In some cases, there is direct influence pedaling, but if you look at the personal fortunes of politicians before and after holding important positions, it is obvious that politics is a VERY lucrative business.

 

[Mac1958]

Well, many won't like this analysis, but it does ring true to me

The Characteristics of Politics Attract These Types of People - Patrol Mag

The art of politics is similar to the process of self-care. Some people take items from brands like Bioray, Boiron, and Garden of Life daily.

patrolmag.com

People get into politics for a variety of reasons. Some like to help their community, while others have a personal agenda to follow.

The art of politics is similar to the process of self-care. Some people take items from brands like Bioray, Boiron, and Garden of Life daily. Others don’t eat clean, but they blame their circumstances for being in poor health.

When you understand the different personality types that get attracted to political campaigns, it is easier to find the right people to vote into office.

1. Narcissists​

Most politicians have narcissism at some level. It takes a certain ego to think that having power over others is an essential component of life. People with this personality tend to blame others when things go wrong. They can also be quite convincing when telling lies.

2. Obsessive Compulsive​

These people focus on ethics and work hard when in politics, but they also need to be accurate and perfect. They love complex situations and overly complicated problems to solve. This personality type also tries to avoid conflict whenever possible, preferring to make deliberate choices that minimize arguments.

3. Authoritarians​

This personality type looks at politics in the same lens as a business. It becomes a hierarchical chain where the person on top has the most power. These individuals value strength and dominance over others, leaning toward conservative beliefs that protect their own insecurities or flaws.

4. The Paranoid Politician​

These people believe that the world is out to get them around every corner. They are the most likely to believe in the idea of a “deep state.” Individuals with this personality tend to think there are hidden meanings in ordinary circumstances. It is not unusual for narcissistic traits to come out within this political demographic.

5. Totalitarians​

This personality type doesn’t come out often in electoral politics because the individual demands 100% compliance from everyone. These people believe that they are infallible, creating a God-like complex that seeks to inspire terror and awe simultaneously. It relies on supporter gullibility to stay in power, often rejecting facts in favor of a cult that surrounds the individual’s personality.

6. Machiavellians​

These people are the manipulators. They size up people to see how they can take advantage of them. Instead of worrying about ethics or relationships, their goal is to win at whatever cost is necessary.

Politics can attract genuine people who care for others. Governing can also chew those individuals up and spit them out. That’s why these personality types are the ones most commonly seen in government.

 

[sartre play]

No shortage of old self serving fools running our life's.

 

[Mac1958]

No shortage of old self serving fools running our life's.

I'm told they enter the field with altruistic intent, but I suspect that number is pretty small. They seem to be attracted to something else.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

This could easily be a non-partisan thread if we let it.

I've been wondering about this for a long time: What is it about jobs in politics, from local and state positions to national staff jobs to Congress? What is it about the lifestyle or other benefits that are so amazing and attractive that so many people are willing to:

• Put themselves and their families in the political bullseye and under the public microscope
• Deal with all the anger and hate from the other party
• Trudge through all the constant ass-kissing and fundraising they have to do
• Lie and obfuscate and bullshit and distort and spin for their party
• Kiss party leaders' butts for plum committee positions (I hear that's important)
• Sell their soul to even bigger nutcases to keep their gig

Are there are former politicians or former politicos here who can shed some light on this? Does anyone have any ideas that I'm missing?

Ego

 

[Mac1958]

Well, a great answer to my original question!

Tim Miller is a former RNC spokesperson who left the GQP when he became horrified at what it had become, and in his new book he tries to tackle something that has always fascinated me: The psychology of those -- who know better -- who have sold their soul to the orange stain.

But in this answer, he describes why he and other enter politics in the first place, and how they change with time:

(1:57) --"Competitiveness is the answer. A love of the game, the game of politics. I think that everyone gets into politics with this earnestness about them, idealism. But very quickly that turns, for those of us on the campaign side, into this jaded political gamesmanship, a horserace, a desire to win, to come up with clever tactics and strategies to defeat the other side. I put on my jersey of the red team."

My response to that would be, well, this isn't a damn game. But there ya go. It's like sport for them.

 

[katsteve2012]

I'm told they enter the field with altruistic intent, but I suspect that number is pretty small. They seem to be attracted to something else.

Didn't Henry Kissinger once state that "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac"?

I have always been amazed at how some people have blind loyalty to some politicians in spite of the self serving actions and abject stupidity of many of them.

 

[Mac1958]

Didn't Henry Kissinger once state that "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac"?

In the interview in the post above yours, Tim Miller talks about how, for some, it's power -- and for others, it's just being around power, because they don't want the responsibilities that come with power.

That interview does nothing to improve my opinion of politicians and politicos, that's for sure.

 

[katsteve2012]

In the interview in the post above yours, Tim Miller talks about how, for some, it's power -- and for others, it's just being around power, because they don't want the responsibilities that come with power.

That interview does nothing to improve my opinion of politicians and politicos, that's for sure.

Likewise. I read the interview as well, and it was a useful reminder as to why I generally have nothing but contempt for politicians in general.