Many people seem to have blanket assumptions about all politicians being 'crooked'. I hear it and read it all the time and believe it was the major excuse I heard from those voting Trump.

I think it is a foolish assumption but so be it. My question is why it is so acceptable to assume all politicians are crooked, but so unacceptable to believe cops in some areas are bullies/crooks.

So strange that between two authority figures who are given control over the lives of others, our culture and media have the narrative that all POLITICIANS are likely crooked, but most cops likely are not.

Maybe because politicians don't have 911 numbers. Cops do.

Actually, cops have phone numbers and so do politicians.

911 is a response service that sometimes sends cops, or medics, or fireman,,,etc,,etc,,etc,,,

well, next time someone is breaking into your house call your senator.

So strange that people diss cops.. but call them when their life or home are in danger.

I think...
Most politicians start out honest and wanting to do the job of a political office. Most cops start off wanting to protect and serve their communities.
Both vocations are power oriented.

One of the reasons politicians are painted in a bad light compared to police is that the politician affects a wider range of the population so when they are corrupted it is a bigger deal. If there is a bad cop, Its a bad cop for the force where he works and the part of the community he patrols or is assigned to. A bad senator affects the lives of the entire state.

Politicians are more likely to be corrupted because they are given ultimatums, put under pressure and can have funding with held by major contributors if they don't side with the power influences. I don't believe many initiate their corruption without an outside influence. Unions, corporations, special interest groups and influential wealthy citizens start the corruption moving. When corruption is rampant it is usually a conspiracy involving multiple key civic leaders.

When cops go bad, it is one or two or a few of the whole. Unless the cop corruption is linked to a political corruption. Cop scandals usually involve a certain demographics and location. Attitudes are changed if they are constantly targeted by or forced to act against a certain group.

In my own experience I have never been bullied by a cop when I didn't instigate it. I have been lied to by many politicians.
On the other hand, I have never ever been bullied by a politician. I have been lied to by a cop but another cop set the record straight.

I don't watch the NEWS. The NEWS is not really the NEWS it is opinion. I read NEWS articles from selected sources and Never, Ever from the major outlets. Can you say "Sheeple"?
I also don't watch TV or any commercials.
I'm also not one to follow gossip.

Its really simply folks.. take the Cops out of the equation.. that's right.. just take that thin blue line right out

And where are you... I'll tell you .. Military state... our " wild west... no law"

So which do you prefer?

I thought so ;)

no stranger then people dissing politicians but gladly accepting the policies they work on when they make their lives better,,,


all politicians are not corrupt anymore than all cops are

some politicians are corrupt just as much as some cops are,,


FACTS

Hello Harmony, I hope this evening finds you well. You have posted another interesting topic.


I am thinking....and I do not assume that either profession is populated by crooks and sleaze. I think in any profession there are going to be some bad apples, and that includes the police and the politicians. I think we can find evidence of both goodness and corruption in almost any job, including public service.

I do not advocating 'taking the cops' out of the equation anymore than taking the government (politicians) out of the equation

I advocated that all people in these positions are HUMANS first, meaning some in each profession will abuse authority and others will not

agreed

I admire the public servants I have come into contact with over the years!! Even the ones I did not always agree with. They are under constant scrutiny. I don't really recall any corruption first hand. Some public servants I have met could try to remember that our taxes pay their salaries .....but that is not corruption.

I have met the BAD bully cops and cops with God complexes, mostly serving their own egos

and

I have also met the GOOD cops who tried to 'serve' the community

I imagine it is human nature to expect the same amongst humans in any profession, including politics.

MS.... Your statement goes for ANY profession. Any. This is not new. And most everyone already knows this. You just choose to cherry pick out 2 you don't like.

I posted a sign hanging up in the barbers last week, it read something like this :
Isn't a pity the people that could be running the country are to busy cutting hair and driving taxis!
I have another saying :building site diplomacy, ie,
Guys working on building site (construction )
Chatting over lunch about certain topics.
They can sort out the terrorists, banks and social unrest!
But the people tasked with doing this have been voted in by the people.
We thrive on the fact we live in a democracy and preach that all over the world (weather they like it or not )
So let these people do their job and if you don't like it then change it in the next election. But remember, if you get your way then there will be people of your opposite doing the same as your doing now!

Agreed.

It is very easy to question both cops and politicians, quite another to actually walk in their shoes.

A lot of people like to complain about politics but when you ask them have they ever been in even small town politics or even the school board member ( something small).. they say.. ahh... no, I don't have the time...but they have the time to criticize

Same with being a cop?.. ya can do it better... then by all means join.

There are many places here in America where you could not pay me enough to be a cop...by some men and women get into those cop cars everyday and go into those places.. not really sure if they are coming out.

nope.. couldn't pay me enough.

Crooks have many titles unfortunately! In other words, crooks are everywhere!

I am not cherry picking at all. These are two groups that are most often targeted in politics threads. Cops and politicians.

and yes, my point is that all professions have good and bad,, but lazy thinkers refuse to consider the good in some professions or the bad in others

I think perhaps the key to answering the main thrust of this thread, is to look at the COMBINATION politician-police of the country. Sheriffs.

They generally suffer and benefit from all the prejudices and bad opinion habits that people indulge in for politicians and for police. I regularly see stories of communities where the loudest mouths who righteously oppose criticism of Police, still rain down vitriol on the local sheriff, because he or she IS an elected official.

Most police are NOT elected. I think that's the fundamental difference.

Add to that, that there are a host of other issues that play a usually (purposely) unspoken part of why some people DO maintain a negative prejudice about police. Those who have had no direct experience of police overstepping their authority, often make a lot of other very nasty assumptions about anyone who does complain about the police. And since SOMETIMES they are right, it's not an easy thing to sort out with any universal method.

And one thing that humans do seem to prefer at all times (laziness?) is universal "solutions." So some people declare universally that all cops are to be distrusted, some declare that all politicians are to be distrusted, some declare that all NEWS is to be distrusted, and so on.

And I have never known of anyone who ACTUALLY believed that all whatevers were good or bad, they just like to SAY they think so. Sometimes they say so for reason of pure fashion, other times it's because they feel more righteous that way. But actually, the only people who MIGHT truly think all whatevers are whatever, are true hermits, and we never hear from them at all.

I hope you are right Igor. I hear alot of sentiment that all politicians are corrupt and alot of sentiment that all cops do their jobs justly


there are GOOD AND BAD cops, and there are GOOD AND BAD politicians


because there are GOOD AND BAD people and no job has an accurate test that weens the 'bad' out completely

hang a Uniform on some,and their Heads get so big,they hardly fit through the Doorway!
That's probably why Doormen usually stand outside of the Door!