Politicians and diapers

With the on-going campaign period, lots of dirt, personal and political, are flying among various political camps.

Politics almost always attracts the worst people around -- the most opportunist, the thieves and robbers, the shrewd and cunning, etc. Or it attracts the holy among us, to morph into frankenstein political monsters later.

It baffles me endlessly, why so many intellectuals, including those with PhDs, are so enamored with government and politicians to "solve" household, individual and social problems through more government intervention, taxation and regulation.

Many people, they just over-smoke, over-drink, over-party, over-gamble, etc. almost every day. Some have little work, have little pay, and have big expenses. They will become poor, 100 percent. Then comes a group of do-gooders from local goverments to national government politicians and bureaucrats, to foreign aid do-gooders, all with one dream to "fight and end poverty."

Many people join government as politicians or as administrators or bureaucrats, because we created or allowed the creation of so many government positions and offices.

Take the party-list legislators. Before, no one applied and campaigned for party-list Congressmen/women, but since the Constitution created the party-list system, all hell broke loose. About 350 groups applied for accreditation for the coming May 10 elections. See, at least 350 groups think the district-based congressmen and women are not doing their job, that is why there are still so many poor and marginalized sectors. Comelec accredited 187.

Just recently, we created newer bureaucracies by law, like the climate change commission, renewable energy commission, etc. Some of my friends or other people are lobbying to create new departments, like Dept. of ICT, Dept. of Housing, Dept of Fisheries, Dept. of whatever comes up of their minds.

That's the evil of expanding government. Many people have bright ideas, and they declare, "Aha, I have a bright idea how to solve poverty in (housing, education, healthcare, agri, coastal environment, transpo, etc. etc.). Now give me a new office, give me loads of tax money, give me new administrative power, and I will solve poverty."

Why can't they simply say, "Aha, I have a bright idea how to solve poverty in _____ (fill in whatever sector). But I won't need your tax money or any political power to do and implement it. It can be done without political coercion, that's why it's a bright idea."

Meanwhile, a friend posted this in his facebook status:

"DIAPERS AND POLITICIANS -- need to be replaced for the same reason."

I commented, "But after sometime, a child matures and won't need diapers. But people don't mature and we still "need" politicians to regulate our lives and take away lots of taxes from our pockets. Many people also don't tire talking about 'market failure' when 'government failure' is staring them in their faces everyday, every year."

I remember now one sattire, about "fighting poverty":

Politician: Thank God for poverty. It provides my political platform.

Religious leader: Thank God for poverty. It reminds man of his inherent sinfulness.

Slave driver: Thank God for poverty. It gives me cheap labor.

Consultant: Thank God for poverty. My occupation is to study it and dream to end it.

Poor: I feel so appreciated. Thank God.