Here in Donald Trump’s second term, Pete Hegseth forsook a very lucrative career in broadcasting to serve as U.S. Secretary of Defense. Dan Bongino experienced a dramatic cut in income by abandoning his highly popular podcast and accepting the Deputy Director position at the FBI. Many others, more recently Jeanine Pirro and Mehmet Oz, did the same, trading lucrative careers for low-paying public service positions.
Why make such moves in today’s venomous political environment, where those on the Right are guaranteed to be hounded and slandered by the fake stream media? Indeed, why does anyone–nationally known or not–choose to serve, especially if they are GOP supporters?
What’s Your Objective?
Every two years, of course, all 435 congressional seats and roughly one third of all 100 senate seats are up for re-election. Every four years, with a new presidential administration more than 4000 political appointments are made, of which nearly 1200 require senate confirmation.
Most individuals accept appointments or run for office to accomplish certain goals, such as serving for the good of the nation and of their constituents, attaining positive notoriety, and acquiring more personal clout. Some people accept key political appointments or run for political office to champion a specific issue.
Some people seek local political office to become more widely known versus simply getting elected. Bankers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, accountants, and service providers know that campaigning, in and of itself, is an effective form of promotion and public relations. Clearly, it is acceptable to serve publicly and to generate higher recognition — two objectives that people frequently pursue.
Even with the noblest of intentions, political appointees and elected politicians can go astray. Among dozens, three glaring pitfalls emerge: profiting from insider knowledge and connections, cronyism, and capitulating to the fake stream press. Let's consider each of these three phenomena.
Profiting from Insider Knowledge and Connections
Public servants have an inside track to developments that the general population does not have. They learn first-hand about national, state, or local economic plans; impending trade and finance developments, and international relations. As such, they ought to proceed cautiously: the benefits that accrue from acting on insider knowledge will become public knowledge, likely sooner rather than later.
In recent times, two public figures have brazenly flouted the privileges of their respective positions, as laid bare by an investigative author. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton exploited her post to enhance the finances of the Clinton Foundation and of her family. Her malfeasance is thoroughly documented by Peter Schweizer in his book, Clinton Cash.
A life-long DC swamp creature, the cancer-stricken Joe Biden and at least four members of his family have profited enormously over many decades from insider knowledge and influence peddling. Profiles in Corruption, also by Peter Schweizer, details how the Bidens became filthy rich during Joe’s five decades as a “public servant.” Schweizer’s sources and conclusions are undeniable.
Cronyism
If you've just been elected to Congress, your emotions are sky high. You seek to do well -- to serve your constituency and to be re-elected. Among those who have helped you, some might seek favors from you.
When awarding a contract or benefiting a vendor, it’s natural to favor who you know, perhaps in place of who has submitted the best proposal or who has the best track record. Favoring cronies has haunted many leaders throughout our nation’s history. At the highest level, Presidents Jackson, Grant, Harding, Hoover, Johnson, Clinton, W. Bush, Obama, and Biden, among others, succumbed. Critics claim that Donald Trump belongs on the list, but a historical comparison suggests otherwise.
Capitulating to the Fakestream Press
Capitulation to the fake stream press is most onerous. The press leans Left and gleefully pounces on right-leaning public servants. Former Senator Mitt Romney, perhaps always a RINO, was the poster child among GOP politicians who capitulated to the fake stream media.
Both Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett have often strayed from interpreting the U.S. Constitution to capitulating to Leftist views. The unceasing attacks they first endured from The New York Times, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, CBS, NPR, and other media outlets presumably have taken their toll. Concurrently, justices committed to interpreting the U.S. Constitution and upholding their ideals, such as Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, do not yield to the onslaught of fake stream media.
Can right-leaning media outlets manipulate public servants on the Left? Yes, but it hardly ever occurs. For at least the last 80 years, the Right simply does not have the media clout of the Left. Meanwhile, the fake stream media acts more egregiously with each passing day.