Uncontrolled vanity drives people toward power. When we pass the numerous election signs that festoon roadways before elections, we see the names of local people most driven to want public office. All of them insist that they sincerely want to make things “better”. Mostly, they want to be important.
Once they get into public office, they find that most of the people with whom they deal are interested in contracts, favors, and jobs. Office holders are surrounded by people who continually ask them for money.
No matter how much money they get, they always want more. When we understand the similarities between sycophants and ravenous pigs, we have taken a step forward. We take another step forward when we find that those who ask for money must always have what can be made to seem a “good reason” to be given more money. “Good reasons” often include “educating the children”, which increases funding for the largest of the frauds, public education. “Good reasons” also include “protecting the environment.” “Environment” is often replaced with “future”, often within the same plea.
“Fairness” is an ever-popular excuse for those who want more. The clever among them often string a lot of “good reasons” together to justify having even larger amounts of money shoveled their way. “It’s only fair that all children be well-educated and live in a clean environment.”
Most taxpayers accept such statements as their taxes go up. We might as well. There’s not much else we can do.
