Post B5UEjfcHF9KSzULaim by burnitdown@beige.party
(DIR) More posts by burnitdown@beige.party
(DIR) Post #B5TuRHVw7O8dwXKrwm by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T09:52:31Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
I'm not often effusive in my praise of politicians. I think that politicians are people. Regular, flawed human people and the possibly ingrained human tendency to valorize and idealize politicians is a very dangerous flaw that threatens the whole premise of democracy and the existence of human civilization. Anyway having said that I'm somewhat impressed with our new mayor of NYC so far. I think he is doing a good job in these first months. He seems to be working to do his campaign promises.
(DIR) Post #B5TudkAjOVTmIcMLiK by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T09:54:46Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
I am also impressed with his affability and tact. He had not made anyone mad at him needlessly. There are people who hate him, but that's because they don't agree with his ideas and that's fine. Maybe he'll be a good mayor after all. He's much more competent than the last one. I will continue to look at him with a deadpan face anticipating disipointment but I'm nodding my head now and then.
(DIR) Post #B5TuthVV4QjsfQgOtU by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T09:57:37Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
I voted for him because all other options were worse. I expected less than nothing, but that was better than another mayor who actively made things slowly worse. What if he's actually effective? Doesn't get distracted from just doing the job which is very thankless and doesn't pay as well and being corrupt? That would be impressive. A gift to the city.
(DIR) Post #B5TvIbT4f2DTB1QGTQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:02:09Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
I really don't think we pay politicians enough. Take being in congress. You make 170k a year and there is a nice pension. That's a very nice job, but some of these people make more on insider kalshi tips in one weekend than that. How do you compeate? I'm serious. How are we supposed to find 541 who will do the moral and irrational thing and not sell out? I do think such people exist, but they aren't pushed to this line of work.
(DIR) Post #B5TvZvbN3b0MXlZ3Vw by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:05:17Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Maybe after serving in government one should have to enter a kind of monastery. A "nice farm upstate" kind of place where you can't own any businesses, make any money or even communicate much with the public. Basically you need to give up your whole public life and all possible profit if you want to serve?Could that weed out the profit seekers?
(DIR) Post #B5TvmYMYlnP0EZemdU by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:07:28Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@faithisleaping 170k is just enough to do all of that. I know someone will want to argue about this, but they aren't being realistic. You need to keep TWO homes (one in your district one in DC) you need to dress and travel like your peers. Thats the whole salary gone. But there is a pension. So, that is something.
(DIR) Post #B5TvzpWGIHAvCzWeWG by Cheeseness@mastodon.social
2026-04-20T10:09:55Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I don't know if putting more money on the table will attract people who will be averse to selling out. In my experience, those people don't chase money.IMO, if politician salaries were indexed against the minimum wage, that at least would give a publicly visible performance metric that'd make it harder for representatives to by while ignoring their constituents, and the chance to make a difference in that context might be the thing that encourages the right people to step up?
(DIR) Post #B5Tw218u39IbpvduzY by jannem@fosstodon.org
2026-04-20T10:10:19Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Problem is if it also weeds out too many of the people with the abilities you need.
(DIR) Post #B5Tw30QOCkX1tpIFDU by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:10:33Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Because in order for a politician to be not corrupt they kind of do need to be a bit of a monk for public service. They need to be more motivated by the modest appreciation they may (or may not) get for making the government run effective than making fabulous profit.A real "it means the most to me to know I've done well" sort of person. And one with exceptional intelligence and sober judgement. It's a massive ask.
(DIR) Post #B5TwBFsOdhYu8fKKJc by spreadthetruth@mastodon.social
2026-04-20T10:12:00Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I decided to run for local office because of the terrible things I'm seeing and because I have some background not because of money, or wanting Fame. In fact I'm retired. No one tells you how much time and effort it takes or how unglamorous it is or how unguided it is (you kind of just stumble along with a few vague guidelines from previous people who ran) or how much of your own money you're going to spend to get set up
(DIR) Post #B5TwD4N6Nufj2KYQj2 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:12:22Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@Cheeseness Right now it just barely pays enough to make the job worth doing. And that's not getting into the death threats, bullying and mean press that go with the job (especially if you do anything that makes anything change even a little)I do think many people really want to help others, but those people tend to run from the whole scene in my experience.
(DIR) Post #B5TwIXimgsRZVkJ25Q by Psychonaut@mastodon.online
2026-04-20T10:13:18Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Agree 100%. It's the same here. Look at Singapore - they decided to pay their politicians very well and then police, prosecute and punish any corruption extremely severely. They're now close to the top of any "least corrupt" league table and have been for decades.
(DIR) Post #B5TwJD82js0fvxRHeK by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:13:24Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@scroeser I've come to like the idea of having something like random juries involved in more of the process.
(DIR) Post #B5TwaSiW2FMjCdj0Pg by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:16:35Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@jannem Yeah, because you also can't be a pushover either. Has anyone studied politicians who aren't corrupt and what kept them going?Some kind of person who likes having everyone yelling at them all the time?
(DIR) Post #B5TwdmLFWl9kw8QKkS by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:17:06Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@billzismyname You see? This is the kind of person we want to entice into these thankless jobs.
(DIR) Post #B5Tx1q3nLziNQ3jSgS by Cheeseness@mastodon.social
2026-04-20T10:21:30Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Yeah, absolutely. That stuff is not acceptable in any form, and happens far more than it should. Varies a lot from place to place and culture to culture I imagine too."Pays enough to make the job worth doing" is a tricky proposition - certainly here it's more than a living wage and like you said, it works best when viewed through a monastic service lens rather than a wage slave lens. The moment money is involved, all incentives are messed up.
(DIR) Post #B5TxNk9lz3OdTqyPXU by steter@mastodon.stevesworld.co
2026-04-20T10:25:28Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I've called for them to be stripped of all investments, to earn only the minimum wage they themselves set for their terms, and to have to pay full retail for insurance.A 2-year stint on a farm might be a great post-term detox! I'd enjoy watching our "leaders" slopping some hogs. If they're too old and decrepit, they can work as a teller in a bank, where they are forced to balance daily, a completely unnatural state for our political class. The ones we like can go to a monastery. That's too nice for the rest.
(DIR) Post #B5TyQJRZrF9PSH5eXw by bruce@darkmoon.social
2026-04-20T10:37:07Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird One simple thing we could do would be to ban all stock trading by people in government, elected or otherwise. Yeah, I know that won't happen for obvious reasons, but it would eliminate a lot of corruption.
(DIR) Post #B5TyirMMUwHxr7Uj4q by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:40:31Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@bruce There is a push to make this happen. I think it could if more people could get excited about it. Those against banning them from trading stocks have ZERO arguments. Personally I think it should be a lifetime ban for all individual investments. (so you can use a mutual fund, but not buy a stock or future.)And we get to see your tax returns for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. (am I mean?)
(DIR) Post #B5Tz3WhwTbhNt0RY3s by earthlightning@sfba.social
2026-04-20T10:44:13Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird This is part of the rationale for civic assemblies.Politics attracts a certain type of person. Those people don't need to be excluded from decision-making, but they shouldn't be the only people in the room.
(DIR) Post #B5TzTvyt8KvlnbxhFQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:49:01Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@bruce When I've talked to people who support the president sincerely there is one of his stunts they mention to me more often than any other. "Do you know that Trump doesn't even take the presidential salary? He turned it down and is only paid $1!" I've met no less than four people who are sincerely impressed with this. Never-mind that due to poor transparency it's hard to even verify that this is true. But let's just assume it is true. Why would that make you trust him more?
(DIR) Post #B5TzWD1wiQ9lFvTd5c by JonnyT@mastodon.me.uk
2026-04-20T10:49:22Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Is there a name for this paradox, "Anyone who wants to be a politician is more often than not someone who should never be permitted to become a politician."
(DIR) Post #B5Tzk17tlrXQOGqTD6 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T10:51:56Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@bruce All it tells me is that he's so rich that 400k isn't consequential money to him or his family. That makes him something of a alien to me. That is life-changing money. Life-saving money. I have relatives, friends who need a fraction of that. Trump doesn't even know anyone personally who had such needs. I don't think of myself as "poor" but to a person like that I'm very poor. We all are.
(DIR) Post #B5U0AxLRwEf8Tu1sBc by jannem@fosstodon.org
2026-04-20T10:56:44Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I'd think it has a lot in common with people running charities and NPOs. You need to believe in the mission more than in the salary.But that demands a political system where people can execute on the mission and don't have to give in to money politics in order to get anything at all done. I bet there's interesting research to be had comparing beginners entering the political funnel locally; and the veterans still there for the national political scene.
(DIR) Post #B5U0m5BnjgkjWbDfkG by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
2026-04-20T11:03:24Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird @jannem > Has anyone studied politicians who aren't corrupt and what kept them going?First you'd have to find one.
(DIR) Post #B5U1lcFFRzJfi3AnGy by babelcarp@social.tchncs.de
2026-04-20T11:14:35Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I think Singapore pays public servants much better than the USA. Whether you’d like the result … depends.🤨
(DIR) Post #B5U1z93Cn5CbDezWU4 by BritishKoalaTea@social.coop
2026-04-20T11:17:01Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I think Douglas Adams said ti well:The major problem—one of the major problems, for there are several—one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.To summarize: it is a well-known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it.To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.- Douglas Adams, from "Restaurant at the End of the Universe", 1980
(DIR) Post #B5U2706DxHz3m39JIm by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T11:18:29Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@BritishKoalaTea They all seem to be either greedy, horny or half-mad and fueled by spite or in some cases all three.
(DIR) Post #B5U2F3ZYvSwsrXiHoG by albertcardona@mathstodon.xyz
2026-04-20T11:19:54Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I was in New York city this morning and yesterday, also last Thursday. People on the streets seem relaxed, comfortable, at leisure. Friendly. Free. A great feeling. Even the dark tower at Central Park 1 seemed to have recessed into the background.Is it Spring? Or a renewed sense of hope, that change is possible? Whatever it is, I celebrate it.
(DIR) Post #B5U2IgSanc44L5BOgS by schuemaa@ecoevo.social
2026-04-20T11:20:33Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I think that serving in Congress should be like jury duty. You will get picked at random. That way you will not have buddy networks that grow to protect each other. It would also save all the money that is spent on campaigns.
(DIR) Post #B5U2LtsLNTuCoZlGwy by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T11:21:11Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@schuemaa This would be a big upgrade at this point I think.
(DIR) Post #B5U2NAFPzYi1sj9nkG by goldfish@mastodon.green
2026-04-20T11:21:21Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird @bruce I don't know enough about US political history, but here in the UK, MPs used to be entirely unpaid (up to 1911) and it was generally felt that this invited corruption, as well as excluding ordinary people from politics. As it is, whenever they get into trouble around their financial dealings, the excuse is their low pay (which is pushing three times the average salary, so that doesn't fly with most of us).
(DIR) Post #B5U2iqEr48q8CBEKSe by Red_Shirt_no2@c.im
2026-04-20T11:25:18Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird @bruce “So rich that”… or so corrupt. It seemed pretty obvious when he said he’d turn down the salary that he had his sights set on bigger returns.
(DIR) Post #B5U3EV6v9dsDw1cD7w by leonardof@bertha.social
2026-04-20T11:30:58Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird IIRC there are some provisions like that for a few high-profile positions in Brazil, and probably in the US too. Probably, they should be more comprehensive, eg no "consulting fees" for a few years.
(DIR) Post #B5U3WPBZvD8qluKbUe by llewelly@sauropods.win
2026-04-20T11:34:16Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird but what do we do about the traditional foundational belief of the USA, that greed and ability are synonymous?
(DIR) Post #B5U8rKFBzPsJIUoh6G by Jestbill@mastodon.world
2026-04-20T12:34:01Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Fix taxation so that their $174k is a lot.
(DIR) Post #B5UByzznSKVGg3xxEO by burnitdown@beige.party
2026-04-20T13:09:04Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird they are people who are part of a fundamentally oppressive, white supremacist power structure. why not praise the KKK while we're at it?
(DIR) Post #B5UD1filORYAcSpyPQ by burnitdown@beige.party
2026-04-20T13:20:45Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird as a very dedicated anti-electoralist, if i lived in New York, i probably would have voted anyway and voted for Mamdani, to remove Eric Adams and at least be an improvement over the terror of the previous government. but i still do not put a lot of trust in him to not be Lucy holding the football, and he has already demonstrated that he is. social democracy can't end the problems caused by the state because no matter how hard you try to reform capitalism, it will still be capitalism. reforms are fleeting and ephemeral because the next government can simply undo all of the social gains of the current one. look at Ontario. look at your federal government. the examples are everywhere.
(DIR) Post #B5UEQLkgsGEDsf4OVk by burnitdown@beige.party
2026-04-20T13:36:26Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird why pay the unscrupulous couchfuckers anything? you want to pay more money to the people raising the cost of heating your home by executing completely unnecessary war? if i have to fill my oil tank again before summer arrives, it's going to cost $900+ for 400L to keep my pipes from freezing, and you think we should reward the people who made this happen? i live on inadequate fixed income. i can't change the heating system in my home and i can't simply move because the rent i pay is low and moving would more than double that cost. it's -6C in Ottawa right now, the furnace just kicked on, and i'm playing oil tank chicken while the float is at between 1/2 and 3/4 of the tank left, closer to 3/4. for many people like me, if they were faced with that, they would have to choose between paying rent or having heat, nevermind any food. that is a violently absurd position to be in. check yr head.
(DIR) Post #B5UEjfcHF9KSzULaim by burnitdown@beige.party
2026-04-20T13:39:50Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird i think the ancient Celts had the right idea. kill the king if he gets out of line. never give these assholes an inch, cause look at the miles they will take from you.
(DIR) Post #B5UEr5Rtb4Lh8V1nP6 by burnitdown@beige.party
2026-04-20T13:41:15Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird in order for a politician to not be corrupt, they need to not be a politician.
(DIR) Post #B5UFB2CPOBxqqgIOVE by burnitdown@beige.party
2026-04-20T13:44:52Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird @bruce but you say that person should be paid more money. make it make sense.
(DIR) Post #B5UQAbfv6UwO5868kC by DavidM_yeg@beige.party
2026-04-20T15:48:01Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I don’t think it’s possible to weed out profit seekers by offering money (they *are* paid enough, there are just many others who are paid too much)You’re right that being a representative to the people is a sacred trust of its own kind, and commodifying the sacred is always corrupt. It’s a perennial problem that I don’t think has a permanent solution, only constant reinvention and recommitment to the goal.1/
(DIR) Post #B5UQAjDV42xdTIrYYa by DavidM_yeg@beige.party
2026-04-20T15:48:01Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I was explaining to some friends/family recently that Zapatistas choose community representatives by lot, which caused lots of consternation - how do you ensure you will have honest, competent and capable people?My counter is: how do we expect that having an exclusive, money and status driven popularity contest will select honest, competent and capable people?2/
(DIR) Post #B5UQAqmUwK7CvsI6a0 by DavidM_yeg@beige.party
2026-04-20T15:48:02Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Like you, I am cautiously optimistic for your city with its new mayor- I think there is the potential for much good to come of his term. And I agree with you: keeping him off a pedestal is the best way to make sure he never falls off it.3/f
(DIR) Post #B5UTDfbHGaEazE4wvg by ArrowbearMoore@toad.social
2026-04-20T16:22:12Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Positions of power are attractive to dark triad personalities. Compassionate souls are less inclined to take positions that give them power over others. Selfless leaders are rare, I think it’s a species level fault.
(DIR) Post #B5UTj7d96KNuthwyZM by meltedcheese@c.im
2026-04-20T16:27:53Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Agreed. I wish we had a more politicians like that. They are few and far between. Humility is not what we see.
(DIR) Post #B5UanSFl4Em5hB1XjE by stevegis_ssg@mas.to
2026-04-20T17:47:07Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I 1000% share a certain default pessimism here, and yet …My representative in Congress is Ayanna Pressley. My senators are Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, and my mayor is Michelle Wu.They're all human, none of them is some perfect being, they all have to handle compromises and try to satisfy competing constituencies. But I feel SO LUCKY!
(DIR) Post #B5UmUwDAer2AYbkbU8 by rainynight65@aus.social
2026-04-20T19:58:13Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird @faithisleaping I don't know what it's like in the US. In Australia, politicians expenses for second homes in the capital (usually rented) are reimbursable, as are travel expenses. This has in the past led to 'minor' scandals where politicians 'rented' an apartment or house owned by their spouse and got reimbursed for it by the taxpayer. I say minor scandal because it had no consequences aside from some public outrage. But I think it should have. There's also the regular issue of politicians claiming expenses for private jets, helicopter flights and similar to get somewhere they need to be, when other means of transport were available but they simply state that it was the most efficient way to conduct their business, and there's no effective oversight to keep that in check. I don't know about clothing expenses but with all the allowances politicians here get on top of their salary, I don't think that's a major knock on their lifestyle. Do US politicians have to do all that only with their parliamentary salary or do they also have all kinds of allowances and reimbursables?
(DIR) Post #B5V76P8m3rYO4ppxGS by nazokiyoubinbou@mastodon.social
2026-04-20T23:49:05Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird I personally feel like the opposite: politicians should make minimum wage. Politics should be a crappy job you pick only because you legitimately want to do something to fix things or get stuff done or just want something reliable. (And this would also have the side effect of 100% guaranteeing that those in charge of setting the minimum wage would set it at a livable amount...)Naturally, this comes paired with not allowing money from third parties. At all. Lobbying is bribery.
(DIR) Post #B5VdNWS5KNd4D24kxU by lufthans@mastodon.social
2026-04-21T05:50:41Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@futurebird Congresspeople keep access to Congress when they're out of officeBecoming a lobbyist who can get in the building was a path to huge piles of moneyIn the current admin certain people grift way more via insider trading, but they probably like the feeling of powerThey should have to put everything in a blind trust when they get elected or join the cabinet