Type true?

by Groff Schroeder

There appear to be two types of politicians: type 1 politicians who serve "The" people (with a capital T), and type 2 politicians who serve the American People (with a capital P). Since at least the 1952 "Checkers" speech, American politics appears to have been crafted to profit type 1 politicians, thwart type 2 politicians, and make it extremely difficult for the American People to tell them apart.

Type 1 politicians unapologetically serve the super wealthy (billionaires, "golden parachute" C.E.O.s, heirs, foreign "oligarchs," "lobbyists," magnates, moguls, multinational mega-corporations, televangelists etc.) - and anyone else willing to make "campaign donations" (apparently including international criminals and enemy governments). Although often prominently religious, type 1 politicians commonly practice dishonesty, misrepresentation, and propaganda, and may appear devoid of empathy, ethics, morals, or scruples. Despite their oaths to "protect and defend" the United States, its laws, and Constitution, type 1 politicians often at least appear to routinely evade and disrupt the rule of law, violate the Constitution, and exploit their elected offices to advance economic, environmental, political, tax, and "deregulation" (legalization of illegal behavior) schemes that directly benefit their "donors" and themselves. Type 1 politicians often appear to actively oppose numerous foundations of the Bill of Rights, including equality under law, personal/medical privacy, separation of church and state, freedom of religion (except for themselves/their donors), and free speech (except when "free" "speech" is a "donation").

Recently, type 1s' service to "The" people includes hindering criminal investigations, gerrymandering governmental majorities, unconstitutionally blocking a Supreme Court nomination with strong bipartisan support, repeated legislation to take health insurance from millions of Americans, and destroying tiny but effective programs assisting the poor and middle class to fund – yet another – massive tax cut for the wealthy. Many type 1s hold unconstitutional "dual-citizenship," and about 50% of US Congress members have literally signed a contract supporting a plan to cut tax revenues so much the US government becomes small enough to "drown in a bathtub" (a.k.a. destroy). Despite an extended history of apparently deceitful, destructive, divisive, immoral, self-serving, unethical, unjust, and unconstitutional actions, type 1 politicians enjoy enduring corporate, organizational, political, and voter support.

In contrast, type 2 politicians directly serve the People of the United States, the United States, and the United States Constitution – even though they must accept insecure, untraceable, and sometimes inexplicable electoral processes and outcomes to participate. Type 2 politicians navigate a system in which the deck has been strategically stacked against them, while diplomatically seeking compromise with type 1 politicians actively deploying "dirty tricks" against them. Type 2 politicians uphold their Constitutional Oath, "protect and defend" the laws and Constitution of the United States, and use their elected office to pursue justice, transparency, and elections untainted by "donations." Type 2s direct the power of US government against threats to the People such as alleged criminals, unethical corporations, polluters, organized crime, and enemy governments. Type 2 politicians are often targeted/smeared by politically motivated false accusations and investigations, and their actions, policies, and statements are routinely and systematically misrepresented.

Type 2 politicians appear to deeply respect (if not love) the United States Constitution, defend the environment, serve the People, and work to uphold the rule of law. Despite tirelessly defending the Constitution and working for the People to achieve bipartisanship, compromise, equality, freedom, justice, and transparency, type 2 politicians somehow keep losing elections – even when they receive the most votes.

Type true? by Groff Schroeder appeared in the Freethinkers of Colorado Springs' Freethought Views column in the October 4-11, 2017 edition of the Colorado Springs Independent with the quotation below.

"To know the good from the bad, study a man or woman's history of actions, not their record of intentions."

Suzy Kassem