-Caveat Lector- ----- Original Message ----- From: Das GOAT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > >Ah, now we get to the heart of the matter: politics is corrupting. > >But politics is also "the art of the achievable". Thus, to achieve > >anything, one must be corrupted. Thus, the pure at heart can't > >achieve anything, are impotent. So one has a choice: remain pure, > >stick to ideals, remain uncorrupted -- and powerless. Or, make > >compromises, take filthy coin, feed at the Devil's tit -- and > >accomplish something. What's your preference? > > What has "politics" ever accomplished? > (For anyone other than "politicians" and the rich who buy and > sell 'em, I mean.) Physical infrastructure: US interstate highway system; TVA and Bonneville power systems; every gov't construction project, which fatten politicos & contractors as well as providing artifacts of some use to the taxpaying public. Other systems: public primary/secondary schools and universities; Social Security / Medicare / public-health systems; Marshall Plan; GI Bill [which funded education and home ownership for millions of Americans]; military/space programs [which funded microelectronics development and the internet we're chattering on now]; FDA [which greatly reduced the proliferation of rotten foods and adulterated drugs that swamped the US a century ago]. Yup, 'politics' sucks. But when you have a few hundred million people divided into some millions of public and private groups, all pushing their own interests, you need *some* mechanism for balancing those interests. Here, we elect and bribe advocates; it's messy, but it generally works. Still, imperial China had a good control system: for a gov't officer to rise in rank, he had to defame and ruin his superior, to be promoted to his office. This tended to weed-out the bureaucrats who weren't smart enough to cover up adequately. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
