Politicians often have a bad reputation due to the electoral process, ambition, corruption, and association with dirty politics. Despite the noble job description, personal and professional sacrifice is required, and some effective politicians may look bad on paper.
Sometimes there seems to be a difference between public service and politics, even though the two concepts are supposed to be interchangeable. Citizens may support their hardworking elected representatives, but they passionately despise power-hungry dirty politicians. Why do so many politicians have a bad reputation when their job descriptions sound so noble and selfless? The answer can be a little complicated.
One reason some politicians have a bad reputation is the electoral process itself. A life of public service and legislation is not an occupation for social introverts, so many applicants for local office are already known overachievers with more than enough self-confidence. Candidates for political office are often very ambitious by nature, and with ambition can come a level of moral and ethical flexibility. Some bad reputations develop because the politician has already had to compromise any number of personal beliefs in order to win votes or popularity.
There is also the adage that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Some politicians have a bad reputation because the power of office has corrupted them in some way. Professional lawmakers, judges, and others in positions of power over citizens are constantly approached by lobbyists, special interest groups, and influential private citizens who all want them to provide favors. Many politicians have enough integrity to resist corruption, but unfortunately some are not so strong. A politician under heavy pressure can make some questionable decisions, which in turn could lead to allegations of wrongdoing or gain personal gain from an office.
Historically, there have been numerous examples of dirty politics practiced by equally dirty politicians. Unfortunately for most honest office holders, these incidents often dominate the public media. As a result, a number of effective politicians get a bad reputation by association alone. If one politician is capable of dirty tricks or dereliction of duty, then they may all be equally capable of some wrongdoing. This general perception of politicians becomes even more pronounced during election campaigns, where candidates have the opportunity to expose each other’s political and personal shortcomings.
Professional legislation and public service require a certain amount of personal and professional sacrifice, since many private sector jobs are more lucrative and less demanding than politics. Sometimes, a politician gets a bad reputation because he is led by well-intentioned people, but also has poor managerial skills or a controversial public figure. Some very effective politicians look bad on paper, but are actually highly respected in the political arena.
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