Do you feel respect for politicians?

Romania
January 17, 2013 8:05am CST
I know from the theory that politicians represent the people and are trying to make the best laws to protect society and improve its functioning. They should be smart, successful, charismatic men. They should be at first great professionist in their own field of activity and good organizers. They put their knowledge, when they are elected in the service of the state. They depend some ideas, on the left wing or on the right wing, different type of view about the best way to rule a society Do you think politicians in your country actually do this? Which one are the excpetions, the good-willed and loyal or the corrupts? Do you think that, in general, being a politician is a respectable position? In my country, nobody respects them. Still, people servile flatter them in a meeting and then gossiping on the corners. The general opinion is that guys who are not good for anything else, comes into politics. Because politics doesn't require anything, except maybe an ability to steal money from the state. Nobody cares about political ideas or ideologies. Most of them change the party with the one who receives the political power. People know that all of them are the same (with a few exceptions, of course), but still vote with who gived more into the campaign. The communist legacy here developed the idea that the state is the party and that stealing from it is a good thing. You just take back something. The system favors the mediocrity and the corruption so it's difficult to arrive a politician if you are not like this. So, in my country people think politics is a dirty job done only by people who can't do something else. My opinion is more shaded, but mostly the same. What's your opinion about your politicians? Do you think it's a respectable job? That they have some qualities and experience and they should be respected for this?
1 person likes this
15 responses
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
17 Jan 13
Never, especailly if they are like the politicians here in Mexico. Most here are bad people, and only want money. I dont trust any of them.
1 person likes this
• Romania
17 Jan 13
Political values are not yet decided in Latin America, authoritarianism is still a fresh memory and the legacy of it can be easily observed. I think there are some similitudes with Eastern Europe. Also in what concerns the quality of politicians.
@doroffee (4222)
• Hungary
17 Jan 13
In my country, I don't respect them at all. They are all for power and money, and securing their positions... always the average, hard-working and homest person is the one who, in the end of the day, gets robbed. Especially this reigning party... all they care about is building football stadiums, instead of giving the money for raising salaries or education or culture. Oh, and they want to make a new society layer, the new bourjoisie, which means rich people who are their marionettes because they made them rich. They get people fired bc of their political views, in bigger companies as well. They even try to make less free seats in the universities, and they lie about it and call the university students stupid and liars who are now demonstrating against this. The police is a joke, they are their dogs... they are only caring about punishing people who drive 1 km/h faster than the permitted one, yet they fear some society layers who keep a lot of normal people in terror... The politicians are corrupt and lie without a blink of an eye. I lost my hope in them... unfortunately all parties.
1 person likes this
• Romania
22 Jan 13
I used to believe that Hungarian politics is with some steps before Romanian one. But you described the things that also bother me here. It seems, from what I read i n other commentaries too, that this is a global situation (maybe all politicians from all the time were like this, but itts easier to glorify the past?).
@Shavkat (137215)
• Philippines
17 Jan 13
I don't show any respects for politician with bad records. I knew some of our politicians involved in terms of corruptions. Though the higher officials are trying to eradicate this, but it takes a lot of years before it will be materialize.
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• Romania
17 Jan 13
A lot of years and also a change in a system that allows this. It can be more difficult than we are imagine.
• India
17 Jan 13
Definitely in present scenario, politics is a dirty job but the people are responsible for it. They select the wrong person for the job who doesn't deserves to be there. And the other truth is mostly undeserving candidates files the nominations. So I think there should be some high standards setup for the persons to enter into politics so that we can get some genuine persons at the top level.
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• Romania
22 Jan 13
Yes, but the problem is who will set those standars taking in consideration that nobody that have power don't have also the interest? The solution is to rise the knowledge of people, but nowadays manipulation is everywhere.
17 Jan 13
Yes, the politicians should be respectable and has a good reputation and proven by their actions. Leaders are the reflection of the community since they are the appointed ones, chosen to lead if these leaders are corrupt and lack of actions from their commitment the community as a whole has lack of cooperation, unity and discipline as well. the leaders speaks in behalf but in some circumstances I think there are also good leaders but poor obedient staff to follow but I still have faith that good leaders are great followers otherwise it will not make any sense if these leaders are law violators themselves, Respect are earn not being ask
• Romania
22 Jan 13
Maybe it's more like a vicious circle between people and politicians they elect. I also think the political class will not evolve while people still vote because they received "electoral charity" or because they like someone's smile or because they vote only big parties thinking that small ones don't have any chance.
• India
17 Jan 13
In fact, the role of politician is to make rules for society, which later bureaucrats implements. The basic nature of a politician should be to understand the requirements of people. But the biggest problem with common man is that he/she reacts mostly due to many emotional happenings. Most of the time, whatever they say, they really never mean it. When a common man says, "I want to kill you", it means, I am angry with you, Its nothing related to killing or something like that. So in most cases, people wants too much from politicians. But I have seen, most of the politicians are having hectic schedules and very less time for their near and dear. Sometimes, we try to link them with corruption, which in fact more and more related to people, who extracts money from politicians particularly at the time of election. At the time of election, a politician needs to invest a huge amount to contest and that is the route cause of all corruption. Now in the independent countries, we can not compare our politicians with freedom fighters. I believe, we should not consider politicians as God and try to think by keeping ourselves in their chair. At least we should have an inclination to enter politics, if required. Unless, we respect politics or politicians, how can a country run and people can sleep with a good salary in their hand! I understand your sentiment on politicians, as they are unable to solve many problems, but at least we cant challenge their patriotism and hence i think they may not be given respect in today's contexts, but they cant be ignored too.
• Romania
22 Jan 13
I don't say all politicians are bad and corrupt. There are a few who, maybe, are not, who are struggling to change something but they can't. Or they do small changes. The problem is that politics nowadays have this tendency. It's not a complicated, intellectual thing to figure out what people want. What they want in the first place from the state, not all their desires. Before somebody wants to get advatange of somebody else, he wants first not to be robbed, deceived, taken by stupid. I think the first goal of a politician will be to use the money people gave by taxes in what they were meant to be invested. If not, just stop taking those money and abolish the state intervention there. And yes, I really contest their patriotism. Especially because they put all the trouble on the shoulders of the next generations. They just don't care to invest. And run into great debts, spended unwisely, that will have to be payed somewhere in the future...
• India
17 Jan 13
Nowadays, most of the politicians are corrupted. They are involving in biggest scams and corruption is everywhere.
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@Cutie18f (9551)
• Philippines
17 Jan 13
No. I know so many jobless people here who are filing candidacy because they do not have the skills to get them real work. So they file their candidacy and hope to win so they will just receive monthly pay without much work. Politicians are people who want power for nothing.
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• Romania
17 Jan 13
In your country, people who candidate don't need some money? Here, they have to give to the party an amount of money and also have to finance the electoral campaign. I mean yes, they can't have another career, but there are not average jobless people.
@namiya (1713)
• Philippines
18 Jan 13
To the respectable few yes, but sadly not for most specifically those coming from political clans. Basing from their attitude and thirst for power, it seems that to most politicians this vocation is no longer "service to the people" but the "most profitable business" that as much as possible more member of the family has to have access to.
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@aparat46 (11)
• Indonesia
17 Jan 13
no, I think the politicians are looking for importance of his own
• Romania
22 Jan 13
Well, they must to have some stimulus for doing one of the most hated proffesions in the world :P
• Bangladesh
17 Jan 13
In my country people think politics is the most profitable bussiness. People adopt it to change their lucks over night rather than serving people. You know my country Bangladesh repeatedly several times suffered the corruption ranking status determined by TIB(Transparency International Bangladesh). People are here to fill up their own sack of interests regardless of whether they will be re-elected or not. Meritless people are getting government job by bribe, nepotism etc in here. Democracy is always nurtured by revenge in here too.
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@vernaC (1491)
• Romania
17 Jan 13
My definition of politician now is businessman. Sad to say but this is how I see these people now. They don't make laws for equal rights but they make laws for their own goods for the future. They wear big smiles in public but secretly negociating with other businessmen.
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• Romania
17 Jan 13
Being as well from Romania I can't agree more with you. They just don't care about the people. And, I don't know if you have the same opinion, but the left is even worst than the right, and their understanding of equal rights means just to take more from the rich people, while the poor are in the same situation. And I couldn't imagine something worst than the past government.
@nykalex88 (243)
• Philippines
18 Jan 13
Yes and No. I can determine if a politician is capable to do his job or not. I also know if politicians are just get elected because of their money and popularity. Politics is a good field of work if you are really interested to serve and help. But sadly, there are more politicians who are after of what they can get rather than what they can give.
@ZoeJoy (1392)
• United States
17 Jan 13
I think politicians should have the attitude that they are SERVING their country. Instead, it goes to their heads and they think like big shots, instead of being humble. I think politicians should only serve two terms and then, they should go home. They need to have a humble attitude by serving and leading their country and then allow and support others that come after them. They don't need to try to hog the limelight. They don't need to write a book about themselves or have someone write a biography. Nor go on speaking tours, or go on talk shows. They have a serious job to do of leading their countries - they are not celebrities. Too much money and too much power is involved with politicians. Politicians have forgotten that they are to support, serve and yes, dare I say it, sacrifice for the sake of their country. Instead, they take advantage of the 'perks' and play too much golf and go on expensive vacations. I respect the troops - they understand that they are serving and sacrificing for our freedoms and protection.
• Romania
17 Jan 13
They should serve the interests of the country. And their job should be one of responsability, not one of power. But here it's not only their fault. People, in general, take care to make them feel like gods. The respect for authorities, when you face them, is beyond any politeness. So politicians just take advantage of something that happens over their specific will. I think educating the people to know what actually is a politician is indispensable.
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
17 Jan 13
It is pretty much the same thing here as in your country. People are too easily swayed and vote in people who have weird ideas. I don't follow them because it is too irritating and I have very little trust in any of them.