By Mark Minnella for DAILY CALLER
I have come to believe that Washington has three kinds of politicians: patriots, pigs and traitors. Harsh? Maybe. But look at what happens in Congress and tell me these three descriptions don’t fit.
Patriots understand that public office is a responsibility, not a prize. They believe the Constitution places limits on government for good reason. They respect our liberties, defend the rule of law and recognize that the American people are their employers, not their subjects. They may disagree about taxes, spending, immigration or foreign policy. Disagreement does not disqualify anyone from being a patriot. The willingness to put country ahead of personal advantage is what matters.
Unfortunately, I fear there are too few of them.
Then there are the pigs. And yes, I use that word deliberately to describe certain politicians’ attitudes toward public service. These are politicians who treat Washington like a feeding trough. They arrive promising reform and quickly discover the comforts of power, influence and prestige. Keeping the job becomes more important than doing the job.
They learn which donors to please, which committee assignments carry influence and which positions will attract the least political resistance. They speak passionately about fiscal responsibility while tolerating spending they would condemn if the other party proposed it. They promise transparency until transparency becomes inconvenient. Principles are negotiable. Reelection is not.
