What's with these People?

My own former mayor (I really, really like saying that) had to be forced from office despite obvious errant behavior. The Governor Illinois had to be forced from office despite obvious errant behavior. The Mayor of Portland, Oregon won't leave office despite obvious errant behavior. What gives?

Ego and arrogance is undoubtedly at the heart of it. That, sadly, says much about our politics in this day and age. You have to have a certain amount of ego to get into the field, to be sure, but when we reach the point where it seems to openly attract figures who are, shall we say, a bit overly interested in the power and prestige, then perhaps we ought to rethink our system.

If it is the power which brings them in then I have to suggest that to drive them away we need to lessen the impact of our political positions. We need to make government less powerful and government service more truly something of a chore which offers little personal aggrandizement.

Sadly, that ship has long sailed. I guess we just have to deal with what we have and hope for the best. we have only to hope that the safeguards in place, such as they are, eventually work, as they did recently here and in Illinois. It sucks, but it beats being a third world country just the same.