Why do you believe most politicians today get into politics?

[JFN1]

Poll question: Why do you believe most politicians today get into politics?

After seeing Dennis Kucinich's amazing speech yesterday (posted here in political vids), I am struck by a peculiar feeling that politicians who are like Dennis, are so rare, because they are not getting into national politics for the same reasons Dennis appears to have entered Congress: SERVICE.

So, before anyone thinks this is a candidate poll, IT IS NOT. I have my own opinion - I want yours. Thanks.

[dchill]

1. Where is: "For the excellent health care plan?"

:shrug:

[Warpy]

3. "For the perks" would cover it

and those perks cover but are not limited to: health insurance, fat retirement package, guaranteed pay raises, extensive travel to "seminars" in the most attractive resort locations, insider stock tips, being on a social A list, and general protection from the vicissitudes of life their constituents are facing at home.

[JFN1]

6. Updated

Thanks!

[dchill]

9. OK, NOW I can participate!

:hi:

[Kolesar]

14. Ok, where is: "to fly to the war zone in Iraq and wear an Army flack jacket"

and be on Tee Vee!

[Speck Tater]

2. Probably an equal mixture of power and wealth.

Or maybe BOTH of those could be included in the broader category, the desire to "feel important".

[drmeow]

4. I guess I would call it power

I think they start by having a desire to impose their view/ideology on others. "The current city council member is WRONG and I am right." Sometimes there is a lot of arrogance and lack of understanding of how government works (i.e., not everyone agrees so you have to find ways of compromising). There's a "I can do better than those yahoos." attitude for some. Some do it to implement changes that will benefit them without any thought to what will benefit the community.

Some do go into it for the same reasons Kucinich did but they either don't make it as far as he did or they become corrupted.

[TheUniverse]

5. I believe most get in it to actually serve the country.

But along the way they make backroom deals "for the greater good" and eventually lose track of whats right and wrong. By the age of 50 most have no morals and probably forgot about them all along.

[JFN1]

7. I think that may be true of older politicians

But I believe most people who seek national office today do so for the cash - seems to be the fastest track to wealth which entails the least amount of work. Why else would people spend millions of their own money to get a job that pays less than $200k a year?

[againes654]

8. I watched a documentary on Charlie Wilson

the other day. He enter politics out of revenge. The man he ran against in the local election had crushed glass up and mixed it with meat, and fed it to Charlie's dog when Charlie was 14. He vowed revenge. The next election, Charlie gave rides to anyone that needed it (mostly blacks) to the polling places. When he dropped the people off he said, "So and So (can't remember the guys name) murdered my dog. Have a nice day. I believe that Charlie took 90 people to vote that day, and "so and so" was defeated by 7 votes.

I thought that was interesting.

[NMDemDist2]

10. i think "all of the above" since it depends on the politician n/t

[againes654]

11. The question was why MOST

get into it. Obviously each one does so for different individual reasons, but that wasn't the question.

[cynatnite]

12. IMO, it depends on the party they belong to...

Repukes mostly get in it for the money and power, IMO.

Dems get in it to serve their country, for the most part.

[Kolesar]

13. A lot of Republicans think that they are on a moral mission!

A lot of Democrats think that they are on a moral mission!

[JFN1]

15. Many people selected "for the power" in the poll

What do you believe they receive as a consequence of power? Is it power, in and of itself, or is it the things power brings? Luxury? Wealth? Status?

[bigwillq]

16. Power, money, privilege

Most politicians are all the same, even Obama. He's a typical politician, at least imo.