Politicians - We Just Want To Be Liked

So said one now former senator to me, once. I don't think it's universally true that it's a defining trait of politicians, but politics is one appealing option for people whose open mic or bass-player-in-a-yacht-rock-band pathway fizzled. It attracts some people who have a rather large need for some sort of personal adulation.

To some extent: politicians, they're just like us. Who do they want to be liked by? The people they spend time with. Who do they spend time with? Mostly not the median constituent.

Sometimes you hear about politicians who received, say, FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS in campaign money from some industry, offered up as a corrupt explanation for votes they take. I'm not dismissing that entirely, but I also suspect it's basic peer pressure a lot of the time.

Wanna be the cool kid at the parties you go to.