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Both of these options are wrong. Not so long ago, the people who entered government did so purely for civic duty. They didn't need to profit off of it.
by 0x8BADF00D 7y ago
Both of these options are wrong. Not so long ago, the people who entered government did so purely for civic duty. They didn't need to profit off of it.
- harikb 7y agoCivic duty shouldn't mean their family and kids don't get the same opportunity as those of a software engineer. It is not "profit". It is a salary so that smart people don't have to sacrifice their family to do their civic duty. I am not saying any Senator is necessarily sacrificing, but that is where all these shady actions come in.
- 0x8BADF00D 7y agoYou still don't understand. It has nothing to do with material things like money. It is something much greater than that. Civic duty is the highest honor one can achieve in their life.
- kingbirdy 7y agoThat's a great ideal, but the reality is that if you slash the salaries for being in elected office down to something token like $50k, you won't get more "civic minded" people in elected office, you'll get more rich assholes because they're the only ones who can afford to quit their job to campaign and hold office, fly back and forth to DC, and maintain two residences on that salary.
- Gibbon1 7y agoI've come around to the idea that we'd be way better off just paying them a lot more. I also think people should be able give their congressman a tax deductible 'tip' up to $20. Put a line on the Form 1040.
- myvoiceismypass 7y agoAhh it would be fair for citizens to be able to bribe politicians the way lobbyists do.
- Gibbon1 7y agoIt's not a bribe if they are supposed to be working for us.
- pyuser583 7y agoI don’t think many people agree with that. I do. Most people don’t know what it means.
- int_19h 7y agoWhen is that "not so long ago", exactly? Corruption in republics is as old as republics themselves, and US was no exception.