'They're In a World of Shit'

[calimary]

24. I keep mumbling to myself - "this ISN'T the Manhattan real estate market!"

THIS does NOT work like the Manhattan real estate market does, with all its corner-cutting and sweetheart deals, bullying and blustering to intimidate and bluff your opponent, fast-talking fancy convoluted deals and "arrangements", winks 'n' handshakes, and other sleazy under-the-table wheeling 'n' dealing. It's an arena where figuring out how to bend and/or get around the rules is the favorite indoor sport. Government (at least good, scrupulous, responsible government, anyway) DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY, DAMMIT!

If you're part of the government, YOU ARE A PUBLIC SERVANT. You are supposed to be in it for the people YOU SERVE. NOT for yourself. It's not supposed to be about getting rich, or fleecing the flock, or helping yourself to all the goodies you can grab before you're forced to resign in disgrace or even flirting with indictment. And these lovely people don't have a template for that. It's not who they are, what they know, how they've lived, or where they've come from. Their mistake was believing that this "presidentin'" business was merely another round of business-as-usual.

I wish I had a nickel for every argument I've had with dim bulbs who insisted the government "should be run like a BIZness!" DAMMIT, government is NOT a business!!! Its whole reason for being is NOT to make a profit. It exists to serve the needs and interests of THE PEOPLE, DAMMIT! NOT oneself.

You're NOT supposed to go into public service to pad your own pockets, DAMMIT! You're NOT supposed to go into public service to give yourself a tax cut. You're NOT supposed to go into public service with an eye toward slapping the presidential seal on everything in your golf club's pro shop, or so you can then jack up the price of membership to take advantage of your new "position".

Public service is, and should be, a higher calling. To which money-grubbers and grifters need not apply.