Politicians make decisions in favor of their interest groups or their supporters back in their hometowns.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Politicians are trying to attract people to issues.
Politicians neither love nor hate. Interest, not sentiment, directs them.
Politics is a herd mentality. Politicians don't really lead. Politicians reflect what they think is consensus opinion.
Obama, startled that components of government behave as interest groups, seems utterly unfamiliar with public choice theory. It demystifies and de-romanticizes politics by applying economic analysis - how incentives influence behavior - to government.
Politicians like to talk about incentives - for businesses to relocate, for example, or to get folks to buy local.
When political and business leaders tell the public - any public - 'We don't trust you to make the right decision' - they prejudice that electorate against the very proposals they want it to accept and undermine public confidence in themselves.
As such people achieve influence within the organization, whenever there is a conflict between their own interest and the interest of the organization, their interests will win out.
People underestimate the impact they can have on the process through contact with legislators. By being part of an organized group in an area that you have an interest in, you can multiply the impact of your own ideas.
Politicians are strong to the extent that they are ready to take serious decisions and fight for it.
Decisions are made by those who show up.