Successful Politicians...

If you're a successful politician, you know you don't succeed by figuring out what's really going on in the world and trying to explain it to people. You need to find out what people want to hear and then tell it to them.

Words spoken by Bryan Caplan author of The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies in his inteview on the Freakonomics podcast.

You can read the transcript HERE.

Now basically, what he's saying is that politicians live and function, and get their jobs by glad handing all of us and basically shoveling so much shit that you can barely see the floor anymore.

He gives a pretty startling example of how stupid we are as voters, collectively.

For the most part cutting spending is looked upon favorably by the electorate.

Until you start picking out things to cut. Cut medicare. Holy hot shit there'll be a riot. Cut social security. Lord have mercy, there'd be an uprising in the retirement home on that one. Cut the military. Sweet baby Jesus, the huns are coming, the huns are coming.

That's pretty much all politicians do. They give you generalitites, no specifics.

I will cut spending! Oh really, how you going to do that? What are you going to cut? What, specifically are you going to cut?

I will strengthen the military! Oh really, how you going to do that? What exactly are you going to do? Oh, and one last thing, how are you going to pay for it?

Imagine if you or I proposed things to our boss that way.

Employee: Hey boss, I am going to make this company hugely profitable, we are going to open up 20 new factories, and I'll restore this company to the height of its stock price.

Boss: Oh really, and how precisely do you plan to do that?

Employee: I am going to make this company hugely profitable, we are going to open up 20 new factories, and I'll restore this company to the height of its stock price.

Do you see how stupid that sounds?

Just so you know, that's what your beloved candidate (whichever one is yours) has been saying to you from the jump.

Now here's where the real bitch of this situation lies.

IT'S OUR OWN FUCKING FAULT.

This is what we want, this is what we've asked for. As an electorate because of our own lack of interest, stupidity, apathy, laziness, or whatever else you want to call it, this is what we get.

If American's actually wanted good politicians, there'd be some, because we wouldn't allow this whale shit to make it into office. If we wanted good ones, we would demand that tough questions be answered with specific responses. If we wanted good ones, we would insist that politicians back up every word they say with facts, figures, plans, or something concrete.

Basically, what I'm telling you is Barack Obama & Mitt Romney are what we get for this election because that's what this country wants. One giant red douche vs. one giant blue douche.

It's our own fucking fault.

That being said, I am removing myself from the equation. Not voting this year. Probably not for quite a while and certainly not until there is someone in there worth voting for. Maybe if I'm lucky, the rest of you will continue to elect shittier and shittier people until a revolution finally comes. Apparently, its going to take quite a bit of doing before the vast majority of this country realizes that we're going straight to hell.

Ah, I can hear the self righteous indignation coming from some. How dare you not vote? Its your civic duty. Plus, if you don't vote you have no right to complain about politicians.

First of all, I dare, secondly, check the rest of my blog I've certainly done my civic duty, and your civic duty and his civic duty, so fuck that. Finally, just use some simple logic on the complaining part.

If you voted for a politician, or campaigned for one, or in any way contributed to the political process, then the people who currently hold office are...YOUR FUCKING FAULT.

Not mine, I didn't vote for them, I have nothing to do with this asshole being senator or mayor or president or whatever.

I didn't do a damn thing, you did. You voted, you have no right to complain.

I could be wrong, but until American's start demanding better people as leaders then we get what you vote for.

Good luck picking the lesser of two evils and thinking that's an actual choice.