There seems to be a conflation of politics with principles

[YoungDemCA]

Politics is about shrewdly maneuvering for gaining power and resources, and manipulating people-both those in power and those who want power. Principles, ideals, and morals don't really apply, except as a device for furthering their political goals and gaining or retaining power. The more idealistic and "principled" a politician is, the more of a practical disadvantage they put themselves at-and their supporters as well.

Religious fundamentalists are "principled", too. Dogmatic, absolutist, black-and-white thinking. No room for flexibility in action or thought. Consequently, when the fundamentalist mindset-which for the record, can be left or right-wing, religious or secular in nature, it really doesn't matter-is applied to politics, the results are inevitably disastrous.

Therefore, hypocrisy in politics is really not such a terrible thing. Politics is, after all, about getting things done. I would rather have concrete results than demand everything-which is a surefire way to get nothing, to be disappointed and disillusioned and in a state of perpetual outrage.

[ZombieHorde]

1. Hilarious.

Of course politics is a form of manipulation, and I think most people realize that, but most people don't want the manipulation to be it's own end, they want it as a tool to help shape the world according to their principles. Principles are the point of the manipulation, in many people's minds.