LogFAQs > #965169398

Muscles posted...

The problem is that politicians are just as bad if not worse than the general population.

Yeah, but whose fault is that?

https://news.yahoo.com/people-arent-smart-enough-democracy-flourish-scientists-185601411.html

GIGO





...actually, the other problem there is that most politicians are very skilled... at getting elected. Because that's the only skill that actually matters when you're a career politician. A politician's actual job is to get elected and re-elected, not to understand complex concepts, solve problems, or improve the system in any way. Because they have no real motivation to do so.

If they can make a tangible positive difference and then spin that into something that people will vote for that's a plus - but it's just as easy for them to lie, manipulate public opinion, and use social engineering to convince people to vote for them, that's far easier and more effective.

Which also means that, when a problem is complex (which most major problems are) and requires complicated solutions that will take years/decades to see positive gains or which require significant short-term sacrifice (ie, the kind of thing that guarantees you probably won't get re-elected), most politicians won't even attempt to push for those solutions even if they do understand that they're necessary.

The system as it exists is essentially designed to guarantee no politician of any political alignment will ever do anything worthwhile without an ulterior motive.