Let me start by saying this: only a Sith deals in absolutes.

Let me also start off by saying that this topic is was spurred by some local efforts to create warming centers for the homeless, and the brain-dead politicians who tried to tell these people they are not allowed to help the less fortunate members of their community.

And to clarify my previous statement, the Sith were dark Jedi who used their powers in the Force to control the people around them and create a world in which they are in charge, and if anyone disagreed with them the Sith would “remove” them from the galaxy. So basically, the Sith were space-politicians.

But to clarify my stating of the statement, I do not like to use absolutes. In fact you should always remember to never use absolutes. So, the phrasing of my title and the fact that I will soon bundle all politicians into one ideological data plan is not necessarily reminiscent of my actual beliefs of the people we call “politicians.”

But here goes!

Politicians, as I see them, are really only after three things. They have three main goals that they aim to meet.

The first goal is to get elected.

The second goal is to convince you to pay taxes.

And the third goal is to convince you to let them regulate things.

And, yes, this all has to do with money. After all, being a politician is a job. It’s a career. It’s not something you do because you’re rich and you want to help the world become a better place. If that’s your goal you create pop-culture electronics and start a fund which gives books to orphans. You become a politician to continue being a politician.

In being a politician you get to do a lot of things. Sure, you can create laws and programs designed to make the world a better place. But you can also convince people that the taxes they’re paying are worth it. That’s why politicians will support 5-, 10-, and 20-year plans for sprucing up downtown, building parks, and fixing the roads. Because they know it might not happen, but they will get the credit for it getting started.

You know what else you get to do while being a politician? Vote for your own raise. Or get your buddies in the legislature to vote for a raise for you.

And if that’s not enough, you can just blame the other side for not caring about [insert political fodder here] and that’s why we can’t have nice things.

So, to be a little more specific, the first goal was to get elected, right? How many politicians do you know that kept all their campaign promises? Or even half of their campaign promises? Newsflash! They don’t intend on keeping those promises. They only make them so you will vote for them.

And how do they get paid? Taxes. We are paying them through our taxes. When the budget is up for review, do you know which part they skip? Payroll. At least for themselves and their buddies. They don’t care about the dog catcher or the street cleaners. They care about their pocketbooks. And as long as they stay in office they keep getting paid for making empty promises and useless gestures. But once people figure this out, you know what happens?…

They convince you to let them regulate. Whether it’s an organization, a family business, or an entire industry they convince you that they are not regulated enough. If they were regulated “properly” the children would be safer. And you know what regulation really means, right? Money. The more they get to regulate, the more money they bring in through licenses, taxes, and fees. And now, through regulation, they also get to decide who gets to do what and for how long and how much it will cost.

And that’s why you can’t just start handing out clothing to homeless people on the street. Because you’re not an official organization. And being such, not being regulated that is, you’re not following the rules. You’re not following health and safety standards. You’re not obeying laws on peddling. You’re not collecting information on how much goods you are redistributing. And most importantly, you’re not paying taxes and licensing fees.

I have never met a politician I felt I could trust. They all talk in circles. They all defer questions with questions. They have no real solutions to problems. And if someone else does come up with a solution they shut them down. If you want to know why our communities are really so messed up, look at the career politicians you helped put into office.

-Diggs out

P.S. – I’m going to say thing once more just to be absolutely clear. I don’t think this about ALL politicians. There has to be some good ones out there. But in my experience, personal and professional, it’s always the good ones that are pushed out and the bad ones that seem to remain indefinitely in power.