The problem is “political careerism” not just being GOP!
Rats by almost definition have to be the party of “political careerism” since all their solutions involve government and more government. Rats come out into the world determined to make a career in politics. Also, for many Rats it’s the only way they can make a living. That’s not necessarily true for GOP’ers! The GOP doesn’t have to be “political careerism” oriented but almost always is for four reasons.
1. Humans enjoy the privileges, perks & ego enhancements that political office gives them.
2. Opportunities for the officeholder and his family and friends to sup from the public taxpayer trough. I am not talking about direct bribes though they do occur. The opportunity to jump family, friends, personal interests to the head of the economic opportunity line abounds. Examples are plentiful - Biden and family, Romney - his son was out there sucking down Ukraine foreign aid money, Pelosi similar stories. The list I’m sure is long & bipartisan!
3. Voters are fundamentally lazy. Far easier to vote for the name you know then research his\her positions on issues.
4. The voter says to him\self ‘my career politician has enabled or promised to get me & my interests a chance to stick a straw in the taxpayer public trough. Therefore, better to keep him\her in office’. In short ‘More Free Stuff!’ or so I think!
For Rat political careerists it’s four principles to live and die by. For GOP politicians after two terms now trying to be a careerist it’s principles to adopt!
Remember we voters enable this by keeping the same clowns in office term after term.
Term limits! Repeal the 17th Amendment (Do both!)
An excellent, well thought out post.
The thing that enables the careerism problem is, as you say, the voters enabling it by keeping the same clowns in office term after term. We need to start voting on the basis of accountability (i.e., results and real efforts instead of rhetoric). The GOP gets away with repeatedly double-crossing its voters and rarely pays the price for it.
Another factor that works to keep elected officials working in the interest of the Swamp is the variety of sleazy ‘persuasive techniques’ that are used against them. That’s a bit outside the scope of this discussion but its a factor nevertheless.