Surrounded by Power Mongers

I have wanted to put this idea into words for some time and get some feedback on it.This idea has to do with why certian people want to control others and just what may be wrong with the world.I got to thinking one day why does it seem like it's always the same people running for office.What exactly do they get out of running for elected office.My first thought was they get acess to graft,cause they all seem to get wealthy.But then I thought there are other ways to get wealthy that don't put you under public scrutiny.

Then it occured to me they want the power to control others.They want power for powers sake.They get off on controlling other people and making them dance to their tune.Control for controls sake.I call them"Power Mongers".The more I thought about what was going on in the world and in particular my little corner of it:read (local politicians),The more I began to realize that although money is power,more so power is money. The two have always gone hand in hand through out human history.Now I started to see that this type of people are only interested in being able to lord over others. The more folks they can control the better.

That's why they seem to rise from lower power positions to higher power positions.They get a little taste cause they are drawn to power and control.They become addicted to it like a drug. Then they want more and more.There are few people in politics who are not addicted to power. I noticed that even people who get into politics for noble reasons eventually become like this.

Now I'm not avocating anarchary here,but we need to find a way to control the power mongers who become drunk with power and make the rest of us poor and miserable.It seems that there are so many of them in the government that they infect the folks that try to do good and change them Into copies of themselves.If the newcomers won't change then the power mongers set out to ruin their reputations.Happens in my state government all the time.Same thing with the local governments.In fact these occurences are what got me thinking about this in the first place.

When I listen to politicians speak now I listen for signs that they are power mongers.Things like I will look into it and then no follow up.I will introduce legislation to solve the problem,again with no follow up.I will meet with (insert name of person or company that will produce funds ie. bribes).These are some of the dead give aways of power mongers.Think about this the next time a politician shows up on the evening news claiming he or she will solve(insert generic problem here).As Mark Twain said politics....poli meaning many and tics meaning blood sucking insects.

These people are found through out the corporate world too.Any where there is an opportunity to lord over any one else and either control or manipulate others.I believe this is a unrecognised disease.Perhaps it is genetically linked.

Opinions please.

In a small way, concerned citizens in my community speak out at public meetings, remonstrate the city government, give the rest of the citizenry a frame of reference by which to judge the actions of their elected officials. With the open meetings statutes in Texas, if the floor is open to the citizens to speak, there can be no comment or rebuttal. It is a powerful tool to control those exercising power, if you don't mind constantly having a target on your back (so to speak). It is but one technique, there are others.

ganjoa

reply to post by ganjoa


Thank you for the knowlege.I appreciate it.

Being a leader is a tough job, some people are better at it then others. There are many skills, attributes and techniques required to be good at it which takes a long time to learn. The ego trip is part of it for some but there are also other things like ability and responsibility. Money, power, networking and control are also part of it, there are many reasons but I know what you mean, it can get a bit much at times.

Not all leaders do it for the power , Why do people give to charity because they want to make a positive difference .
Part of being a human is to Care for your fellow brothers , for me personally its feels good and right .

The people in power are Not like this .
It doesn't take much research to realise that the US politicians (for example ) have agendas and deals going on the side.
Take Donald Rumsfeld .....

Project for the New American Century: Signed PNAC's founding statement of principles as well as two policy letters on Iraq
Bohemian Club: Member

U.S. Ambassador to NATO
Gulfstream Aerospace: Former director
Bechtel Corporation: Was involved in Iraq-Bechtel negotiations in the 1980s on a pipeline project

G.D. Searle pharmaceutical company: CEO/Chairman/President (1977–1985)

This guy has also profited from .....
Donald Rumsfeld's controversial links to drug company behind Tamiflu
www.dailymail.co.uk...
and

When Donald Rumsfeld was CEO of Searle, that conglomerate manufactured aspartame. For 16 years the FDA refused to approve it, not only because its not safe but because they wanted the company indicted for fraud
www.newswithviews.com...


and FINALLY if that wasnt enough .....
Racketeering Charges Filed Against Donald Rumsfeld & Monsanto
www.organicconsumers.org...




This is just ONE politician! Theres many more like him .
To put it bluntly we have murdering scum as leaders at the moment and I'm certain we would do a better more ethical job than them.

reply to post by Doomzilla


Excellent post my friend thank you for your input.The links informed me of some things I did not know.I guess what set me to write this is mostly our local politicians.There is much cronyism and patronage going on around here.Unqualified people are given hi paying government jobs in the various "authorities"In my state just for supporting various politicians.As I have said in another thread New York politics are crookeder than a pan of guts.Power mongers are everywhere in the political parties here.Has been that way as long as I can remember.When I was younger I tried to organize folks to oppose them but always failed.Good folks would run for office only to be discraced with lies or turned .Sadly it is still that way.
They ride the political machine to the top and then move on to the federal level.All the while their cronies get "taken care of".The really scary thing is that about 30 years ago the feds broke up the local Mafia in this area.They actually had allot of control in a couple of counties around here.What they did was to cut off the head of the beast but the body lived on.Few people around this area realize that the body is still going strong.Now they have realized they need to go legit and have gotten into politics and local businesses, particularly the garbage business.The crooked stuff is easier to hide when you have control of the reins of authority.
Around the time they went into politics is when we got the lottery which was supposed to have the intaken funds earmarked for education.The lottery, or if you will ,the numbers racket makes billions each year,and yet our schools struggle to find funding.They raised the tax on gasoline to a ridiculous level saying the funds would be used to repair the roads and bridges,and yet the roads and bridges are crumbling.More and more remain unrepaired each year.
The state claims to be 8 billion in debt .Yet no one seems to know where all the tax money went.(we have some of the highest taxes in the nation,although california may outstrip us this year)
I guess I'm rambling a bit I guess.Anyway I guess what I wanted to say here is many of the people in power around my area are in it for the power trip and for nothing else.If you are one of their cronies and keep your nose clean you are set for life.You will always have a good paying job and never have to worry cause you will be taken care of by your patron.

reply to post by lonegurkha


You are not wrong there . I call it jobs for boys , as long as they dont rock the boat they are set up for life like you say , politicians with honourable intentions will not last long .
You mention the price of gas /petrol , 2 years ago my friend a biker along with 2 friends set up a mass protest against fuel increase , they blocked motorways with their bikes and had the support of the general public .
People need to make a stand but not for individual issues , for collective ones .
The only people who want to maintain this system are the elite .
Unification is essential .

reply to post by Doomzilla


Sadly my friend Americans are still apathetic about standing up for their rights.Witness the worthless and unecessary Patriot act which they will soon make permanent.It violates so many articles of the constitution it's not even funny .And yet the congress will soon aprove it.And we stand here and let them take away our rights.It has been said that people get the government they deserve.I fear what is coming here.

Here our MPs generally make several times less than they could in the private sector with their skills and levelof education. Most of them genuinely believe that they're helping to make the country a better place, even if they do seem a little like headless chickens who have no more idea what's really going on than anybody else does.

reply to post by Justsomeguyhere


Oddly over here when they acheive office, within a short time they also acheive wealth.The two seem oddly connected.The one's who were not very well off suddenly can afford to live lavishly.Allot has to do with the lobby system.Every attempt to control this system has failed .It's kind of like having the fox guard the hen house.

Totally agree with you.

As the saying goes. "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."- John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton

It's been known for years all that politicians want is power over men. Like you said- They might start of with good intentions but at some point it turns into bad.

Came to this conclusion that politics is the enemy. Once you give a man or group that kind of power they can't be trusted. Not ever.

reply to post by lonegurkha


There is a mental illness that those power mongers are suffering from. It is called being a sociopath. All we have to do is figure out the most effective way's to spot sociopaths and force law's into place that prevent sociopaths from seeking office through either elections or appointments.