FUNDAMENTAL ERROR IN LOGIC

In public service, we do not necessarily need the 'best and brightest' so much as the most altruistic. The potential for harm to millions of people is simply too great.

The reason we have super-corruption in govt is because politicians are allowed to make careers out of "public service". The idealist gets in, and the longer he stays, the more self-centered he gets and the more clubbish he becomes with the elites he meets there. His thoughts shift, same as those of his fellows, from making it better for everyone outside, to making it better for everyone inside their club

Part of the cure for this is TERM LIMITS. When the idealist realizes that he has only four to eight years to fix problems, and then he will be kicked out of the club, the club becomes less important to him than the person-sphere where he will spend most of his time.

This concept was well known by the founders of America, which is why they made politicians' salaries low. This concept has steadily been corrupted by successive generations of members of the political club, who have raised their pay continually until it is far larger than any possible good that they may do. Part of the reason that the Roman empire fell is because they made their power a means of obtaining riches. Loyalty to the family of man and patriotism fell as self-interest grew. Tree loyalty and patriotism is not how hard you wave the flag, or how hard you pray in Church, it is what you do for those outside the club of govt elites. Govt fails us by refusing to force a good education on our kids with rigorous discipline despite some howls of protest from the misinformed. Learning should again become mandatory, such as jail has recently become- You don't get out until you prove your worth: you progress at your own pace. No one holds you back if you choose to excel. No waiting for the slow to catch up.

Good govt requires forced education, low, merit-based remuneration and short terms in office. Politics should not automatically lead to riches and sinecure.