Comments on: Journal Lockout Digest: Protest? What protest? http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/07/24/journal-lockout-digest-protest-what-protest/ Can you think of a better name? Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:25:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jim J. http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/07/24/journal-lockout-digest-protest-what-protest/comment-page-1/#comment-87856 Jim J. Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:25:43 +0000 http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=6335#comment-87856 "I agree with the assertion that MPs frequently abuse their ability to send out free newsletters about their business in Ottawa that read conspicuously like campaign material" This is not a shocking revelation, whether you live in Quebec or New York or Japan or anywhere else in the world. The overarching priority of any elected official, <i>to the exclusion of all others</i>, is to get re-elected. 99% of them would shove their own mother in front of a bus if they thought it would help. And the remaining 1% of them are too principled to ever actually achieve anything in politics. The worst part is, politicians wouldn't do it if they didn't think that their constituents wouldn't swallow it, hook, line and sinker. So it's our own bloody fault, 'cause we keep re-electing them (at least most of the time). My cynicism, incidentally, was honed by 7 years (combined) of working for an MP in Ottawa and then for a member of the state legislature in New York State. "I agree with the assertion that MPs frequently abuse their ability to send out free newsletters about their business in Ottawa that read conspicuously like campaign material"

This is not a shocking revelation, whether you live in Quebec or New York or Japan or anywhere else in the world. The overarching priority of any elected official, to the exclusion of all others, is to get re-elected.

99% of them would shove their own mother in front of a bus if they thought it would help. And the remaining 1% of them are too principled to ever actually achieve anything in politics.

The worst part is, politicians wouldn't do it if they didn't think that their constituents wouldn't swallow it, hook, line and sinker. So it's our own bloody fault, 'cause we keep re-electing them (at least most of the time).

My cynicism, incidentally, was honed by 7 years (combined) of working for an MP in Ottawa and then for a member of the state legislature in New York State.

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