The only point that I disagree on is that I am singling Mastriano out. On the contrary, I am saying that all legislators need to be held to these standards. He is simply a convenient example.
One caveat: I do single out Mastriano and others who are engaging in similar kabuki theater because their actions accomplish the opposite of what their words suggest. And they know it. The only calls going to their offices are unwarranted praise and people who should be stepping up themselves are, instead, “Waiting for Doug”.
This is simple. Government of the people, by the people, for the people. No one is paying attention to that. Instead, everyone is sitting around waiting for “leaders” (aka, politicians, aka, the people who are explicitly NOT the leaders, under the Constitution) to “step up” and everyone is stuck in the same circle jerk of saying the next person is line should do something.
If you own a business, either individual or with a group of partners, and one or more of your employees is fucking off and stealing from the till, you don’t stand around demanding that the same employees fix the problem, stop stealing, and show up on time the next day. You walk your happy ass in there, start firing people, and, if there is no one worth keeping, run the till yourself until you can hire someone who is willing and able to do the job.
People in government are our employees. Our fellow citizens are the bosses. Yeah, half of the bosses want turn a blind eye or are in on the steal themselves. That still doesn’t make the solution, “Well, maybe the employees will stop stealing tomorrow” or “That Doug guy has been organizing the theft but it sounds like he doesn’t like it much. Let’s give him a pass for now and tell him to bring the people who are enjoying the theft around”.
The only point that I disagree on is that I am singling Mastriano out. On the contrary, I am saying that all legislators need to be held to these standards. He is simply a convenient example.
One caveat: I do single out Mastriano and others who are engaging in similar kabuki theater because their actions accomplish the opposite of what their words suggest. And they know it. The only calls going to their offices are unwarranted praise and people who should be stepping up themselves are, instead, “Waiting for Doug”.
This is simple. Government of the people, by the people, for the people. No one is paying attention to that. Instead, everyone is sitting around waiting for “leaders” (aka, politicians, aka, the people who are explicitly NOT the leaders, under the Constitution) to “step up” and everyone is stuck in the same circle jerk of saying the next person is line should do something.
If you own a business, either individual or with a group of partners, and one or more of your employees is fucking off and stealing from the till, you don’t stand around demanding that the same employees fix the problem, stop stealing, and show up on time the next day. You walk your happy ass in there, start firing people, and, if there is no one worth keeping, run the till yourself until you can hire someone who is willing and able to do the job.
People in government are our employees. Our fellow citizens are the bosses. Yeah, half of the bosses want turn a blind eye or are in on the steal themselves. That still doesn’t make the solution, “Well, maybe the employees will stop stealing tomorrow” or “That Doug guy has been organizing the theft but it sounds like he doesn’t like it much. Let’s give him a pass for now and tell him to bring the people who are enjoying the theft around”.
Fair enough.