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Why do we want to disincentivize career politics? I feel like raising the incentives will improve the ability of the average politician.
by frei 6y ago
Why do we want to disincentivize career politics? I feel like raising the incentives will improve the ability of the average politician.
- TylerE 6y agoPeople don't go into politics for the paycheck. This wouldn't change if the salaries went up 10x, or even 100x. Influence is worth far more than cash ever could be.
- bearcobra 6y agoOne of the problems that creates is only certain types of people can afford to go into politics. Improving the pay for staffers might go a long way to reduce some of the revolving door cycles that many people find so distasteful
- TylerE 6y agoI don't see how it helps. The expensive part is GETTING elected, not serving. If you don't have the resources to win, the salary doesn't help you.
- ta999999171 6y agoIf they're not expecting 1,000-10,000x lifetime return on investment, it's less lucrative to campaign - financially.
- pmiller2 6y agoPeople don’t go into politics for the paycheck because only the wealthy and the incumbents have the ability to sustain a months-long campaign. That’s the real reason we have people in Washington who represent Wall Street instead of Main Street.
- arcticbull 6y agoIndeed, campaigns should be in the public interest. Nobody should be able to accept donations from anyone for a run for office. They should receive budgets from the FEC and it should be illegal to use any money for the campaign above and beyond that, even their own. That would solve a lot of problems. Run out? Tough. This eliminates an awful lot of conflicts of interest and allows candidates to run on their own merits.
- TylerE 6y agoThat's meaningless without doing away with Citizens United. All the real money goes into the slush funds and not the campaigns.
- arcticbull 6y agoI agree completely. They should not exist either.
- pyuser583 6y agoMy fear is that the FEC rules would be written in a way that discourages third parties, or non-incumbents.
- pmiller2 6y agoYou mean like they are now?
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]