[FiftyBelow]

I personally feel that the image of the selfish and money hungry politician is overrated. Sure, there are tons of politicians out there who are in it for the wrong reasons. However, there are also many who went in with the desire to honestly serve their communities.

It's been said that politics is like a game. I hate that simile... but it's true. Politics is unfortunately a game with implications on people's lives. Often people with good intentions and great ideas enter government only to face a system that isn't as conducive to the exchange of ideas and cooperation that our textbooks romantically portray. They find out that in order to influence policy outcomes, they have to adapt to the game. In other words, politicians need to act pragmatically in order to have an impact. This is definitely true if you are a backbencher inside one of the major parties. Idealists politicians unwilling to play the game may remain completely faithful to romanticized ideals but have little to show for in the way of policy outcomes.

I always think of Elizabeth May. I have a buddy who worked for her as a policy analyst this year. He's generally conservative leaning but as a masters student studying public policy, doing policy work for any MP is beneficial. Anyways, from his own accounts, Elizabeth May is probably one of the most hardworking and honest politicians that this country has. She puts in far more hours than is necessary and does her best to cooperate with both sides of the aisle. I think I even remember reading in an article that she voted in every single vote in the recent 400+ page omnibus bill (my friend's remarks immediately came to mind).

She could easily join a party and have a more substantial impact on policy, but in doing so, she would have to sacrifice much of her autonomy. My friend remarked how she isn't a member of any major committees (if not any? don't remember?). However, she still attends many as an observer. Basically she's bound by the rules of the game but has not put herself in the most advantageous position to achieve outcomes.

In choosing to adapt, good intentioned politicians can either go the route of Ellizabeth or sacrifice in name of pragmatism and join one the tightly operated parties. Choosing the latter is often viewed negatively in the eyes of the electorate. The idealist politician that people thought they were voting for may suddenly appear to be "selling out." In reality, a lot of the times, it's about the desire to make an impact.