PUBLIC VIEWPOINT: Politicians Are Costly, But Necessary

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

So what do gas, medicine and politicians have in common? All three are costly and necessary.

Wait, you say. Are politicians really necessary? OK, so two lied. But they think they are.

Politicians have three stages in life: beginners, legends (in their own minds) and after retirement or death, whichever comes first, they enter into sainthood (at least as far as politicians are concerned). Most folks just say “ho-hum” or “boy, glad to get rid of that (blank).”

When politicians enter the Legend stage, they suddenly believe all people adore them.They believe they are so much more intelligent than the regular folks and they are overworked and underpaid.

Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true. For example, one of the county “elite” recently went into the office of one of the folks who handle the purse strings and said he was worth about $12,000 more per years. This was based on his efforts that saved the county so much money that he was a steal (pardon the pun) at $96,000 a year.

Now remember, when they start out, the politicians are just so grateful to work for “the people” and they just want to “give back” to the folks. Now, I never know just what they are going to give back nor when it will be. So far, I haven’t noticed anything.

To get a raise, they also like to say some other “pig at the public trough” in some other county makes more than they do. This old shell game is older than dirt. They also like to stay you have to pay good money to get the best people to work for the government, at any level. So far, this seems to have just the opposite effect.

The folks they are asking for a raise are politicians themselves - does this seem like a fox watching the hen house? Don’t hold your breath on this one. They all have a way of protecting each other. You get nothing from politicians except more taxes, so they have more to spend and give raises to people who are, in fact, under worked and already overpaid. But to be sure, the folks on Social Security feel your pain.

Mark Twain said “God created an idiot when he was practicing. Next he created a school board.” Forgive me, Mark. I changed school board to politicians. Does that work for you?

JOE CONNER

Bentonville

Opinion, Pages 5 on 02/12/2013