Are politicians really that nasty, or does it seem they just get more publicity when they mess up??
923318
politicians are human just like everyone else. However, they are in the public eye and anything no matter how minor will be used against them.  Since politicians are given power by the people to conduct our business, I want to know when they mess up big time; however, I do not want to know that they cheated on a history exam in high school 20 years ago.  It seems like now, no matter how long ago or how minor, it is going to be thrown in their faces.
1005055
not really, people like to make up stories and gossip.\n\nOn the other hand it could be true
772599
I was watching the history of the Roman Empire on (of course) the History Channel yesterday. And it basically was the story of one dysfunctional or corrupt or tyrannical Emperor after the other (and the power hungry women who loved them) and I got to thinking - why do we expect so much from our modern day politicians? Clearly the Roman emperors had (in a joint sense) every bad quality a person put in power could ever have - they often womanized, the often killed (some killed a lot), and they often took advantage. In short, they mostly just took advantage of their positions of power. They got the six-on-the-side-lovers, the special in-palace-running-water, and the right to exercise their natural and dominant tendencies to be in charge (I learned that Emperor Claudius had no such tendancies - he hid behind a curtain after Emperor Gaius was killed by his own guards and was then literally forced to be the new Emperor).\nSo here we are in this modern “civilized” society (my kids have a Sony Play Station) and we expect so much from our representatives. We demand their integrity and honesty. And we’re so outraged when they get caught playing Emperor. But why? On the basis of what? Has man’s morality really evolved all that much since the Roman Empire? Wasn’t it just a handful of decades ago that a guy maned Hitler tried to forcibly and violently take over the world? So our guys (and I live in America but your guys in other so called civilized nations should easily follow the paradigm) are suddenly going to change from historical trends and not only really CARE about the people, but care enough to focus on the people’s needs and not their own? What a joke. When politicians get caught taking bribes, smoking pot, killing someone (how many people do you know personally who die under mysterious circumstances?) or shacking up with their sixteen year old intern, it’s nothing but the HISTORICAL NORM. They’re just following suit. It’s only by the sheer fact that they’re no longer held above the law that they don’t OPENLY engage in the Roamesq things of the past. In fact when they do get caught they seen to find ways to use their positions to get out of trouble anyway. I wonder what would happen if a guy named Rocco Fabricchi the plumber from Brooklyn ran his beat up Toyota in to his neighbor’s fence and then said, “Oops I took some sleeping pills and don’t remember a thing.” What about if you ran your car off a bridge with your brother’s former secretary in side and left her to die? You do nothing for nine hours and they charge you with nothing but “leaving the scene of an accident”? Would they just charge you and me with “leaving the scene of an accident”? Or would you get at least a vehicular or negligent homicide charge? Well you get the picture. The new age politicians are doing just like the Roman Emperors - they’re just doing it quietly in the background with a nice custom made suit. We need o learn from human history and stop expecting so much.
985499
Yes, it's not a serious toxin, but crooked politicians love to posture about how much they care about protecting you -- so -- it will probably stay illegal.\n\nAnd the public likes to be coddled -- a dangerous sign and weakness in the body politic.
539341
You don't think these things already happen?!  They do!!!\nThey just have publicity consultants to help them put on a good face.  They do not care about these things when it comes to voting on certain laws.  they are more concerned with how they appear and how fat their wallets are getting.  Many politicians have children who are drug addicts, they just throw them in rehab and forget that the problem is there.  most of the wives are alcoholics and the politicians themselves have been found to cheat, do drugs, and all kinds of stuff....\n\nNO ONES life is easy.  But I would NEVER wish harm to anyone!  they will bring it on themselves.\n\nThey are not looking at the few (well, in this country there are more then a few) who actually NEED help.  They are forced to look at the more profitable resources...Keep the rich, rich and ignore the fact that there are poor!
677313
corruption in government is a given. as far as i know the data to support the claim that the number of corrupt politicians is increasing are incomplete. so we cant really say. it could only be that people are becoming more aware of their leaders' corrupt ways.
251028
Its all about power to them and nothing else.  They always have their eye on a bigger prize and most wont stop at anything to get it.  Its sad but it is the way it is.  I dont know of a single politician who wasnt crooked in some way or another.
692445
I lose faith in political parties all the time.  Politics (like any other human endeavor) is fraught with human frailty.  Anytime human nature is part of the formula, it can get messy.
501439
You would not have dared to ask this question if animals were in a position to speak and defend for themselves. There is no comparison between animals and politicians as no animal is as bad. Animals are not corrupt and they don't seem to be crooked either. They are plain and simple without having anything to hide and are unable to shout even when put to injustice. They mind their own!
844187
This is because it's actually kind of difficult to come up with a good idea and stand behind it.  At least it's too difficult for politicians.  They choose the safer and easier route of attacking the other guy when they should be trying to show that they have the intelligence and maturity to hold public office.  It's a shame too, because picking the lesser of the evils is slowly killing this country.
668288
Sorry to hear that...\n\n...Sounds like a lot of the politicians we have in the U.S.
983646
i don,t believe so.  one is stupidity and one in immoral.  i don,t think that politicians know the difference.  they all seem to be able to lie about anything and everything. there a just a few who seem honest and trustworthy, but, maybe they just haven't been caught.
916077
I definitely agree with you.  Negative campaigning is not the way to win friends or influence voters.  However, politicians seem to think it works.  I think it makes them look like liars and bullies.  But cheer up.  In another week it will all be over with -- at least until the next election.  I know it ruins it for the voters, but they should still go to the  polls.  Otherwise, the loud mouths will have achieved their goal.
459732
I suspect that when you talk about people we love to hate are minor villains like the oil company ex and politicians. the reason that we run across them so often is that there a re lots of them and they keep a high profile.
1107590
I think that usually the people "bad mouthing" their leaders ARE the people who voted for the other candidate.  As long as you vote, you have the right to criticize anyone you want!  It's the non-voters who need to shut their traps!
627243
Politicians have no morals.\n\n\nThey have polls instead
768814
GREAT QUESTION! \nHow many people's reputations were ruined because the media went with a story that sensationalized an event...too many.  The retractions never seemed to get as much publicity as the initial story.\n\nWe love gossip and the media feeds off that.\nI know we have been interviewed for newspaper articles a half dozen times and they have ALWAYS gotten some fact wrong.  ALWAYS.\n\nMy grandma told me, "Don't always believe everything you hear" and she was right.