Political Corruption is Natural - Accept It

Political corruption is your fault. It's you mother and fathers fault. It's your mother and fathers mother and fathers fault... all the way back to the second caveman. He started it. So stop blaming the Democrats or Republicans, they're just doing what they were conditioned to do.

Before the first child was born, human corruption did not exist. But as soon as that child uttered its first cry - mom taught it what corruption was. She taught it about bribery and quid pro quo. So don't blame Congressman Jefferson for that cold cash in his freezer - it was his mother's fault.

Before you declare this to be nonsense - not worth your time to read, consider this. From our very first awareness of a need - a cry of hunger, or desire - for attention, we are taught that to get something we usually have to give something. And for two parties to reach satisfaction of uncommon goals - one has to give in order to receive.

Mom wanted a few minutes of peace and quiet, but baby was having none of that - baby wanted some attention. Mom gives baby a pacifier - baby likes pacifier, hmm, ok, I'll be quiet. What just happened? Mom just taught baby about bribery, (the pacifier), and baby compromised their wants. (corruption)

Is that really corruption?

Not yet, because neither action was an unfair detriment to anyone. Nobody got something they shouldn't have, and no one was disadvantaged or deprived.

But the seed was planted.

Now the baby is a tot, four years old. It's a time of learning and interaction with the world. The tot has a real need for play and learning time with mom in order to develop their young mind, their language skills, and their physical abilities. Their little mind only feels this as a need for attention, so the clinging, crying, and whining start. But mom has had a rough morning, she just needs a little quiet time to regroup, so she offers the pacifier.

The tot remembers the pacifier, and although fours years is too old for a pacifier, and they really do want attention, - that pacifier is good, so the tot takes the pacifier and wanders off to sit alone and enjoy their bribe.

Is that corruption?

It's getting closer. The tot had a need, and was expressing a rightful action, but compromised and accepted the pacifier instead, because it tasted good.

Fast forward through childhood to that first job in a position of responsibility...

Growing up was where the final die was struck, up until about the age of eight or nine. The mold was formed by then, parents would no longer have the initial character shaping influence of those early development years. So how did it turn out? Good kid - bad kid. Good - decisions - bad decisions. Strong sense of right or wrong, fuzzy comprehension, or just not enough character to stick to the hard road?

He's a young purchasing manager now, let's call him Bob, (or Bobbette, if that's your tilt), attending his first trade show. Slick Dick owns a company that sells products that Bob might buy for his company - so he makes sure a good time is had by all. Full glasses, sweet goodie gift bags, free food - and Bob leaves a satisfied camper, suitably impressed with his first foray into the business world.

Slick Dick calls the next day. Just chit-chat, how did he like the party, did he have a good time -stuff like that, and oh, by the way have you considered our new widget? It would be a good buy for your company. Well, Bob's company already had a good widget supplier, "Sorry to hear that", says Slick. "Say, having another little get together this weekend, can you make it?" "Sure," says Bob.

Three weeks later, Bob decides to give Slick Dick's widgets a try. No money or secret loot came his way, but still, he did already have a good widget supplier before Slick Dick came along.

Has he been corrupted?

Put aside the weasel politician that got in for the graft, bribery, and corruption from the beginning, the people that voted him in got what they deserved for not paying attention.

But politician Bob...

As a freshman Congressman, his goals were lofty, and his character strong. Offer him a bribe and you might get a punch in the mouth. He had this fantastically beneficial bill that would help a lot of folks in his district, it was a good bill as all would agree. But as a freshman in the house, he needed the support and co-sponsorship of the senior guys, the Big Boys in the house.

No problem they said, glad to help you out, but we really need to get this solar energy funding bill through first, and we're a little short on votes, could you help us out?

Well, it was a bad bill, and Bob had already voted against it, but it was also a small-change bill. It wasn't for a huge sum, even if it was wasteful. And it wasn't going to hurt or deprive anyone, - hell it might even work out to be a good deal for the green energy movement, and his bill really, really was important to the people in his district. His bill would help put food in kid's bellies, and get them the medical help they needed, but their parents couldn't afford, -ok, I can vote for your bill. It's a small price to pay for a whole lot of good.

Is politician Bob corrupted?

It's going to be a tough race. He has a challenger backed by the opposing party machine, and a lot of Big Money connections. And it is not looking good. His fund raising is peanuts compared to the other guy. He might not make it, and he really had a lot more to do for his constituents.

Knock, knock. It's Slick Dick. His company has done really well, and they want to build a new manufacturing plant in Bob's district, but there's a slight problem with some zoning issues. Maybe Bob could make a call? By the way, Slick Dick also has some Big Money connections of his own, and he would be more than glad to host a little fund raiser for Bob, say... 100 folks at $1000 a head? Be my pleasure to help you out Bob.

Once again... Well, those zoning issues were legit. The new plant was a bad fit for the community, and would have a negative impact on the local resources. But Bob really could do a lot more for the folks in his district, if he could just stay in office. He made the call.

Is Bob corrupted now? Is he a "bought" politician?

That was a long road to take just to establish a point, The point being that humans are programmed to be susceptible to corruption from that very first acceptance of the pacifier.

But being susceptible isn't the same as succumbing to it. And there are degrees of corruption. There are several dictionary meanings for corruption, but perhaps the easiest to apply would be - "dishonest proceedings". Another good one would be "perversion of integrity". The next point being that a person that allows themselves to be corrupted has, without a doubt, forfeited any consideration of being considered honest, or of having integrity.

Of course, you may be thinking... Well duhh!

If so, is your only perception of a dishonest politician the ones like Jefferson, that took the cash and goodies? They're the ones that make the news, and draw the disdain of the public.

What about the vote traders? The "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours deals"?

Or the ones that sell their votes - like the list of - No, to Obamacare legislators - that changed their vote in exchange for other legislative goodies.

Remember Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu? Adamant No vote - until she got $300 million in Federal money for her state? Wait, that was wrong, she corrected it on national TV - don't have the exact quote, but it was something to the affect that it wasn't $300 million, it was $600 million - she wouldn't change her vote for a lousy $300 million!

But nobody called that corruption! It certainly does seem to fit the dishonest preedings description. And does it meet the standard of perversion of integrity? Sure looks that way.

Do you think politicians in situations like that reflect on their pacifier days as they ponder their decisions to do what they wouldn't otherwise do if there were no gain in it for them?

ps. of course you can slam this video because it's from Fox News - but that won't change the facts of the report.

I may not always be right, but I always have an opinion. See more of my writings at:

• GA Anderson's Library

"Seeing it does not make it real, and reading it does not make it true. Use a little common-sense and trust your instincts." - GAA