CNN used a recent poll showing that only three percent of participants say they have a “great deal” of confidence in elected officials as a call to arms for those who “[care] about our political institutions.”
While it’s understandable that a news outlet that gets such a viewership boost when reporting on elected officials would be so invested in keeping the passion for Washington politics alive, it’s also clear that, to everyday Americans, politicians and their promises are worthless.
As Austrian economist, Murray Rothbard explained in “Anatomy of the State,” government entities only have one goal: To continue giving people the idea that they are relevant.
But as a predatory entity, Rothbard continues, stealing resources from individuals and groups engaged in production, government inspires nothing but resentment, fear, and anger. Elected officials, as members of this machine that requires the constant use of propaganda to give the appearance that it’s working on behalf of the populace, are then engaged in the same predatory activities on behalf of government. As such, their behavior is also going to mirror that of the office they hold.
Simply put, elected officials have no incentives to be honest.
Once in office, they are only after keeping the state alive. And that involves a great deal of double-dealing to keep special interests happy. That, and that alone will guarantee that they’ll be elected for another round next time. So answer me: How can common Americans expect to have any kind of respect, or faith, in them?
The poll mentioned in the CNN article suggests that while only three percent have a great deal of confidence in elected officials, at least 53 percent of the population have “not too much” confidence.
Another 23 percent claimed to have zero confidence in officials to act in the public’s best interest.
To anyone who’s aware of the years of abuse, waste, inefficiency, and war, the numbers in this poll are scary precisely because half of the respondents admitted to having some confidence, even if “not too much.”
If we should be outraged about anything, it shouldn’t be about how political scheming is making voters less excited about their elected officials. No, CNN. Rather, we should be furious at politicians who claim to be our representative agents working primarily in their own self-interest, recklessly spending our tax money, and regulating our every choice to make us all less free.
And yet, here we are, talking about an article concerned that, soon, people will no longer feel that their vote matter. Call me a snowflake, but this is as offensive as it gets.
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