Underground Political Society

            I recently attended an hour-long panel discussion of political professionals at SMU, and I thoroughly believe I have solved the mystery as to where all of our noble and virtuous politicians are hiding.

            I love politics. Ever since I can remember, I loved watching the nightly news with my family. I waited for the big news story from Washington or Austin. I’ve always been captivated by the principle of politics. Politicians have earned the respect of their constituents and they enforce a mission that the Founding Fathers began over 200 years ago. It always seemed so honorable to be chosen to ascend to such a position. That was when I began to consider a career in politics.

            In the years since, my commitment has not waivered. I continue to monitor political happenings both in Washington and Austin. However, my attitudes and opinions have begun to shift. For one thing, it’s incredibly difficult to find any politician who is not positively obsessed with his or her re-election. Yes, it is important to listen to your constituents in order to most accurately represent their interests. However, your constituents should be at the very core of all of your decisions. Every vote, every piece of legislation that you put your name on- it needs to be done with those constituents in mind. Not lobbyists. Not arm-twisters. Not even party lines.

            That’s I find the root of this problem. I knew coming in to SMU that I wanted to be a Political Science and each time I announce that, I am hit with the question “Oh, so you want to go to law school?” to which I answer “No.” (I ruled out law school a long time ago- my opinions are not for sale and I would have a terrible time representing clients who were of a different opinion.) The prompt reply is “Then you must want to be a politician?”, and for a long time, the answer was a “Maybe,” or a “We’ll see.” However, given the recent news coming from Washington, I’ve decided that I could never be a politician either. Sadly (and ironically), they’ve become too much like lawyers. Their opinions are constantly for sale, and they’re even less willing to compromise, particularly across the aisle.

            I have been interested in and fascinated by politics my whole life. I genuinely desired to be a politician. I have a desire to be a public servant. I would be a well-qualified candidate, and I fit the descriptions given at the panel- willing to work hard, character to stand up and do the right thing. Here’s the problem: if a textbook candidate like myself doesn’t feel comfortable entering Washington in its current state, then who does?

            Put simply, the wrong types of people. People who care exclusively about money and power and re-elections and not about the goals and missions set forth by our Founding Fathers all those years ago. Washington “insiders” aren’t insiders at all- they’re people with the power to manipulate and get what they want. Until we find a way to reverse this trend, and bring honesty back to Washington, the true politicians will remain as far from Washington as possible.