fallsfromtrees wrote:Thucydides wrote:I might point out that politicians are just as good at "gaming the system" as anyone else. California voters tried to reign in spending with Prop 13 decades ago, and instead got deficit spending up the hoop. They have enacted term limits for Ca Politicians, who simply move into various government "commissions" and other agencies after they run out of terms (Ca has over 500 named commissions and agencies, so there are plenty of places for them to go).
While California may be one of the more egregious examples, I can just as easily point to my home Province of Ontario, so this isn't limited to a particular place or time....
Which is why I slapped a 10-12 year total government service limit on them - elected and non elected - they are going to have to go out and earn an honest living at some point, as an attempt to vote themselves life time pensions for 10 years of service is going to get overturned by the next set of electees.
What has always amazed me is that most elected offices were originally part time jobs.