You’ve hit on the problem.
Good decent people refuse to go along with corruption.
That is what makes it difficult to find conservative candidates to run for public office.
I kind of envy your idealism.
Look. It’s gotten to the point that I would estimate a good 45-55% of Americans are getting some kind of government check.
And we’re not talking a few extra bucks, we’re talking about people who, if the checks don’t come, their lights get turned off. Their children go to bed hungry. They can’t get their scrips for meds filled at the drugstore.
So whether the system is corrupt or not is almost immaterial. Those people WILL NOT vote for someone who is going to play hardball. Because playing hardball might mean their kids DO go to bed hungry.
And there is what? 3 4 5 million people who work for the Federal government? It’s the biggest employer in the country by far.
Can any reasonable person think that electing 500 of them every couple years can change things?
I think right now the governments main goal is to preserve the status quo. Because IF the status quo gets disturbed, it won’t be pretty. Whole city blocks would be burned to the ground. Government installations, no matter how mundane, could be overrun and sacked and put out of commission.
Anyways, just my thoughts. I’ve become increasingly cynical as the years roll on...