07.25.09
Monkeys for Peanuts
The cure for political corruption is to significantly increase pay. The target audience is career politicians.
Real change is needed in the attitudes of career politicians. They need to have an attitude as steadfast in resolve like JFK had about a diplomatic solution to the pre-Vietnam situation. He lost his life because of his uncompromising attitude. Read about a real President with resolve at: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/06/06/papers_reveal_jfk_efforts_on_vietnam/
One needs an open mind to understand this ‘pay more for less corruption’ idea to get more resolute politicians. This idea seeks a solution to the ageless problem of greed and its political effects. Or as they say in Singapore “You pay Peanut, You get MONKEY!”
Sidebar: Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore is the highest paid politician in the world. His salary in dollars is $2.47 million. (Eat your heart out Obama.)
http://street71.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/be-proud-worlds-top-10-politicians-salary-are-all-singaporeans/
Most would agree that U.S. politicians act like a bunch of monkeys. (No offense to PETA or monkey lovers.) These political monkeys need more peanuts to curb their greedy nature.
Digressing, people enter a career to earn money. Generally, a career is a lifelong calling requiring special training. Examples include pilots, doctors, accountants, teachers, etc. Future career politicians see politics as a lifelong calling to make lots of money.
These people observe the flow of money and quickly realize that controlling other people’s money is the way to make money. The Rothschild fortune, accumulated over the past several centuries, was built on this principle. “Give me control of a nation’s money and I care not who makes her laws” – Mayer Amschel Rothschild
People wanting a career in politics are no different. Most want to earn money by controlling it. The few politicians that are already wealthy are attracted to the politics for other reasons. Politics fills their empty lives with something to do. More revealing, they like being on the power pedestal having peasants grovel at their feet.
The career ‘want-a-be’ politician needs special training in two areas. The first is legal. They have to know the law and how to get around it to benefit financially. Secondly, they have to learn sales techniques. They need to master bending the truth.
Politicians’ motivation for wanting to control money is fostered in their own financial insecurities. These money seekers do so by investing time selling themselves. They become whores for hire. (No disrespect indented for those in the oldest profession on earth.) Once elected to public office, they get addicted to living off the public treasury. Controlling money now becomes the drug that feeds their greedy human nature.
Politicians in the U.S. congress make less than $200,000 a year. That’s why $250,000 and above is rich, by their definition. They are not rich, but their career goals include making money. So to fulfill that career goal, they need to offer themselves to the highest bidder outside government to get financially beneficial favors.
Proving a career politician corrupt is difficult. Even when they are caught with say $90,000 in their home freezer that doesn’t mean they’re corrupt. Ask Democrat Rep. William Jefferson!
Career politicians don’t get financial favors directly. Most of the time getting direct financial favors would be too obvious. The shame police would make them resign, especially if they were Republicans. Then they would have to get a real job. Heaven forbid!!
Indirectly, career politicians get rich through political favors. Nancy (say something stupid) Pelosi helps her husband get rich in American Samoa. He originally financed her run for congress so she’s paying him back. Every career politician enables family benefits on their behalf from supporters and lobbyist alike.
Citizens need to nullify the greed factor of these career politicians. Their financial insecurities need to be met with higher pay. If Singapore can pay their politicians millions of dollars a year, so can the U.S.
Pay every congress person $2M a year. Give the president $3M. Give them the mandate to cut spending and balance the national budget. Chances are these objectives would be done in record time without any outside influences.
Another advantage to paying career politicians millions of dollars would be getting more qualified people in government. No more monkeys for peanuts! Use the corporate model for getting the best talent available. Pay them bonuses for keeping America safe (illegal immigration) and out of wars.
Without naming names, intelligent citizens know that the U.S. is scrapping the bottom of the political monkey barrel.
More pay means wimps need not apply for Congress. The competition for high government office would be so fierce that only the meanest, corporate types would get there. Like when one gets a divorce lawyer, the nastiest one with attitude and convictions will do just fine! Citizens need politicians with JFK convictions.
A more economical way to change the monkey ‘political guard’ is to VOTB.
Vote Out The (primate) Bums: every incumbent, every election.
Visit the VOTB story and pass on the idea.
