CORRUPT PUBLIC OFFICIALS- the Robbers without Mask
By cuddleme01
@cuddleme01 (2725)
Philippines
January 26, 2007 6:35am CST
A public office is a public trust. Public Officials must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, honesty, loyalty, efficiency, act with patriotism and justice and lead modest lives. Theoretically, this should have been the case. But in the real restless world, we see the exact opposite, with the exception of the few.
Centering on the issue of corruption by public officials, I reckon this to be the most spiteful robbery before our eyes. A robbery against the whole citizenry, - the public. Robbery by officials of our land who have no shame and conscience to dare rob us not only at the clandestine secrecy of the night but in the broad daylight. Robbers who have no mask but choose the guise of authority and legitimate power to divest the public with what is rightfully theirs. The masters of authority are supposed to serve us but have now unjustly enriched themselves at our expense. Our society is at stake. Seeing these “honorables robbers” (again except for the few) in decent clothes and in luxurious feast while I see the commonest citizen in rugged clothes, struggling to survive another day of his life is such a heartbreak.
The best big time robberies happen not in the streets, nor in the banks but in the political world and the culprits are our “his/her excellency”, “your honor”, “sir”, “ma’am”
Spider Man said, with great power comes great Responsibility. But mine is different “with Great Power comes great Riches”.
4 people like this
15 responses
@MrCoolantSpray (1005)
• United States
27 Jan 07
"Those most suited to rule are those least likely to pursue a career in politics." I have no idea who said it, or even if I remember it correctly. But corruption is life. My wife grew up in South Africa, and she marvels at how bad we think we've got it here in the US. Our politicians go on expensive vacations, and eat pricey food at restaraunts. Those in SA build gilt palaces, have posh gardens in the desert, and have jewel-encrusted everything.
Bush said in his State of the Union address that the pay raises (earmarks) that congressmen tack onto bills will stop. He doesn't see these on the drafts he's given, and congress doesn't officially vote on them. The earmarks just get added to the bill and congressmen get more money. I hope Bush can actually put a stop to it. And as much as people hate Bush, I think that this, at least, is an idea that noble people of both camps can agree with.
1 person likes this
@FloatingGum (346)
• United States
27 Jan 07
I was very lucky that the representative we had where we used to live was an everywoman who got involved in politics because she wanted to make a difference. I think in general that is better than the career politicians who come from families that have always been involved. They work the system more and are in it for their own reasons.
1 person likes this
@cuddleme01 (2725)
• Philippines
27 Jan 07
good for you and your district. yes the traditional politicians or what we call here in the Philippines as TRAPO knows how the political system works and often times they maneuver it to the their own advantage.
1 person likes this
@milott (2646)
• India
27 Jan 07
I agree with you totally that currupt government officials are the robbers withoug mask. In our country corruption in public offices is like water and fish, you cannot seperate them. Our public system is so corrupt that even to do their work, these days, they demand money from the public. This is because our constitution has made them the king rather than the real public giving all the powers to them. We public here are in total doldrums when it comes to dealing with the public servants here. Ours could be the most corrupt public system than any other country in this whole world. Without money here you cannot even move a chair even an inch on the ground.
@cuddleme01 (2725)
• Philippines
27 Jan 07
oh that is bad.. i think its happening not only in your country but in many countries as well. i dont know what will happen with society if this thing will continue.
1 person likes this
@raine_eph (78)
• Philippines
27 Jan 07
Wow such a great topic here..i like your heading about this discussion,, well the politics have spoken it self..that means it is in the media and around us..but as a people we can still act on this it is never too late for our country...
1 person likes this
@cuddleme01 (2725)
• Philippines
27 Jan 07
thanks raine. yes we should do something about this. we should be careful in choosing the people who will lead us. we are also to be blame for this because we elected this people and give the power.
1 person likes this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
26 Jan 07
You are a very idealistic person. Sounds like an activist. Been one before. Only, no matter how much the rhetorics, the effect is insignificant. So very few may get the point, but so many prefer not to. We are blessed with a Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte here in Davao City. However, we are worried, too. Who takes after him?
@cuddleme01 (2725)
• Philippines
26 Jan 07
am not an activist trinidad velasco.. actually am a political analyst by profession..
@blindedfox (3315)
• Philippines
26 Jan 07
i'd have to agree to what you have said. Its hard to find real, honest politicians nowadays (if ever there are still some). Politics were meant to help the society and promote public welfare. But sadly, people just see it now as a form of business. People who have influences desperately want to jump into politics with their personal intentions over public service and welfare. I can firmly say that politics is one of the dirtiest form of businesses arund the world. Have you ever seen a poor politician? Don't you notice that poorly deveoped areas of a country has rich government officials? Whatever happened to those public funds? I guess we'll never know. Or should I say, THEY'll never say.
@cuddleme01 (2725)
• Philippines
26 Jan 07
i agree politics is really very very dirty. but i still would like to commend the few who are really faithful servants of the people.
my hometown in really a poorly developed area, but guess what our mayor just suddenly became very very rich after his assumption to office. instant unexplainable wealth!
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
3 Feb 07
Well, that is definetly something. Thanks for sharing that and keeping me informed.
@babykay (2131)
• Ireland
26 Jan 07
I couldn't agree more with your analogy of Public Officials = Robbers without Masks. By public officials I mean politicians, not simple civil servants.
In Ireland we have had big problems with corrupt politicians. This has mostly meant politicians taking bribes to allow land to be developed and houses built upon it, making huge money for them and the developers and meaning misery for the people who live there as no amenities were built alongside.
In Ireland, having power has been seen as a licence to print money at the expense of ordinary people. It is nowhere as bad as it used to be thankfully but still pretty corrupt.
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
27 Jan 07
youre right poticians that are corrupt are the honorable robbers and its them why some of the developing countries cant be progressive..we all know that even in the progressive ones corruptions are prevalent..but at least their constituents not on the level of poverty compared to the underdevelop ones..how can we erase them in the face of the earth?? got any suggestions??
@smacksman (6053)
•
26 Jan 07
Well that would be nice in a perfect world.
Are you the sort that goes up to public servents and say 'I pay your wages'
Well of course you do, but that is the quickest way to get their back up!!
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
27 Jan 07
You said a mouthful and nobody understands it more than the people in my district in Pennsylvania. Our former congressman appears to be jail bound and boy does he deserve it. We voted him out in the last election. He was probably going to lose anyway but having the FBI raid his offices and his daughter's business during the campaign didn't exactly endear him to us. Of course his version is that the opposition leaked the story that a secret grand jury had been impaneld to investigate him. Truth is a lot off folks think his own party ratted him out because the evidence against him was so explosive that they didn't want him to be one of their parties elected officials when the charges came(as I'm sure they will)....No matter how you look at it, his days of robbery and enrichment are done. (You didn't ask any questions on this discussion so I just decided to shae this)
@janecarmel (158)
• Philippines
27 Jan 07
in my country, corruption is very rampant!!! everybody in the government seems to be corrupting!!! and its so frustrating that i dont know how to stop them!!!!! i wish some bacteria will invade our country and infect all the corrupt people!!!!
@diannebcrs (1549)
• Philippines
26 Jan 07
it sucks doesn't it? when the people you put in power themselves betray you by shamelessly corrupting the money you give them thru taxes. think about it, you worked real hard, paid honest taxes and the money you pay ends up in their pockets for their leisure. the worst thieves aren't the ones in prison. they're the ones in decent clothes.
@ebfh2006 (175)
• United States
27 Jan 07
I agree completely. Our tax dollars are going to pad their pockets while our poor suffer from day to day and our citizens struggle to afford medical care. Another thing that sickens me is our taxes are helping pay extremely large pensions to government officials who have been charged with serious crimes and are no longer in office or in prison. It seems that for some crime does pay.
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
26 Jan 07
I belive that if the political leaders gave up even 5% of their salarie, plus the expense accounts they do not need, it would be a huge impact on many of the social issues that we are facing today.
This is not even asking them to give up a great deal either. I think that they would barely even notice such a contrubution and yet think of the money that could be used for funding programs for the less fortunate.
If only one would challenge all others to make this "sacrifice" think of what is may start.
