O'Rourke on Politics

Occasionally, I run into a piece I find so powerful, that I keep a copy in a file in my desk. Every once in a while, I run into a piece that I copy into my file and in the glove box of my car (The US Constitution and Reagan's 1964 convention speech).

I think I ran into a third standard; file, glove box, shirt pocket.

It's a piece by PJ O'Rourke on politics.

Excerpt

There's only one number that matters in politics. And you may think that that's the number of votes, but that's not the number. The number that matters in politics is the lowest common denominator. It is the avowed purpose of politics to bring the policies of our nation down to a level where they are good for everyone. No matter how foolish, irresponsible, selfish, grasping, or vile everyone may be, politics seeks fairness for them all. I do not. I am here to speak in favor of unfairness.

I have a 10 year old at home and she is always saying, "That's not fair." When she says that, I say, "Honey, you're cute; that's not fair. Your family is pretty well off; that's not fair. You were born in America; that's not fair. Honey, you had better pray to God that things don't start getting fair for you."

After all my time covering politics, I know a lot of politicians. they're intelligent. They're diligent. They're talented. I like them. I count them as friends. But when these friends of mine take their intelligence, their diligence, and their talent and they put these into the service of politics, ladies and gentlemen, when they do that, they turn into leeches upon the commonwealth.

They are the dogs chasing the cat of freedom. They are the cats tormenting the mouse of responsibility, They are the mice gnawing on the wiring of individualism. They are going to hell in a hand basket, and they stole that basket from you. They are the ditch carp in the great river of democracy. And this is what one of their friends says.

You must read this and force your kids to read it as well.