As the twenty-first century progresses, the well being of people who show any kind of individuality is being threatened by majority rulings. A recent example of this is that of Governor Rod Blagojevich. According to the headlines, Governor Blagojevich was recorded by Federal authorities as having phone conversations about selling the Illinois Senate Seat vacated by President Barack Obama. The actual recordings have not been made public. The fact that he was selling a senate seat was supposedly discussed on the recordings.

The Persecution.

Governor Blagojevich's arrest created a media frenzy making the governor look like the biggest crook in the world. Late-night comedians picked up on this and the governor was a leading subject for weeks of dark humor. Day-in, day-out Governor Blagojevich dominated the Chicago news as well as the national news. The theme in the media and the subject of speeches by Illinois politicians was the outrage of what the governor did to the "people" of Illinois.

The Greater of Two Evils.

Just consider this;What has Governor Blagojevich actually done? The answer is we don't know, since he hasn't been tried and convicted of anything, yet.(As of this writing, February, 2009.) What has the Federal Government done? They wire-tapped the phone(s) of arguably the most powerful man in the state. If they can do this to the governor, how much easier is it for them to listen in on all of our conversations. I believe that clearly the greater violation of the people's rights was committed by the Federal Government. These days privacy doesn't matter, and I'm sure the feds will somehow find an obscure law to justify their actions.

All Politicians Are Crooks?

Scholars throughout the ages, have in one way or another, expressed their disapproval of politicians. From times of early recorded history to the present, people have been catching and "bringing to justice" the so-called "corrupt politicians." But only a very small fraction of the crooked politicians in the world are ever apprehended. There will never be enough time or manpower to clean up the business of politics.

Throughout history greed, fame, and power are the traits that most influenced the ruling class - the politicians. That still hasn't changed. The information age tends to elevate the status of famous people and encourages them in the further pursuit of wealth and power. The media even fills the heads of the poor and destitute with dreams of possible fame and fortune. Poor people sometimes become politicians to claim their share of the "good" life. Unfortunately, by the time one gains a foothold in politics, after all the backroom dealing, it's practically impossible for one to remain honest.

In order to survive in politics today, one must be corrupt to a certain extent. How corrupt is determined by individual circumstances. One must adopt the "I scratch your back and you scratch mine" attitude when dealing with other politicians and special interest groups. Cooperation with peers helps keep any questionable dealings from being exposed.

The Value of a Senate Seat.

The politicians all seemed to think that selling the senate seat is a crime against the "people" of Illinois. From the dawn of time, political offices have been sold to political hopefuls. We'll never know how often because many such dealings were never made public. In ancient Sparta people didn't get punished for committing a crime. They got punished for being caught. So, too, in modern politics there is no crime against the "people" unless the politician gets caught.

Realistically, only politicians themselves care about the vacant senate seat. To be elected costs millions to run a campaign, but to be appointed costs nothing. So you can see, why senate hopefuls would be wheeling and dealing to secure such an appointment. The dumbed down masses are made to think that the senate seat is much like the holy grail to the "people" of Illinois. Why should it matter to the "people" who the next senator will be? Any one of the candidates is likely to be a seasoned politician, who's self promoting, easily bought with favors, and is a good enough "Spartan" to hide his dirty dealings. As for the "people," they will continue to get an ever increasing tax burden as tribute to the lavish needs of their legislators.

Circumventing the Law.

In a world where laws and lawyers abound, politicians have to learn to circumvent the law without actually breaking it. As an example, consider the age discrimination law in the corporate world. Some companies are reluctant to hire older people, so a Federal law was created to keep employers from discriminating against potential hires because of age. If a company said "We won't hire you because you're too old," they would break the law. So instead, they just give the candidate tests too difficult to pass or require unreasonable qualifications. Because there are countless reasons for not hiring someone, it's impossible to prove that the real reason was age.

In a similar manner, crafty politicians could hand out lucrative gambling licenses or even senate seats in return for money or favors. To do things "legally" they must not directly ask for the "bribes," but simply imply that any favors given must be reciprocated with the proper "rewards." Undoubtedly, good "Spartans" are highly skilled at carrying out such negotiations.

Blagojevich, the Individual.

Governor Blagojevich is an individual. As such, he likes to do things his way. If the Senate and House passed a bill, he wouldn't sign it unless he really judged it to be appropriate. This angered many of the legislators. In a society that's plagued by increasing socialism, such a man becomes an outcast. Why were his phones bugged? Probably because his political enemies wanted it that way. When we hear all of his recorded conversations, they might prove that he was more direct in his dealings than many of his peers. He was doing what other politicians would do, but in a more straightforward manner.

Governor Blagojevich Removed.

On January 29, 2009 Governor Blagojevich was removed from office and Lt. Governor Pat Quinn was sworn in as the new head of state. Governor Quinn again promises to clean up politics in Illinois. Things will be going smooth as long he and his staff are good "Spartans" and know how to cover their tracks. In order for politicians to be truly honest, the world morals must shift from ones being centered on greed and power to those being centered on the welfare of humanity. This hasn't happened throughout recorded history. Why should it happen now?

Conclusion

If we accept the premise that all politicians are crooks, then Governor Blagojevich is a crook too. Yet, he was not singled out because he was like the rest of his peers. On the contrary, his persecution was a direct result of his individuality. Good or bad, what this world needs is more individuals or we'll all wind up as brainwashed zombies supporting the whims of the rich and powerful. Those who were quick to judge the ex-governor should heed the words of Christ that appropriately address the situation:

"Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?" --Matthew 7:3

The United States judicial system is based on the principle that someone is innocent until proven guilty. Blagojevich was accused but has not yet been proven guilty of any crime. He was removed from office only because "he could be guilty." The right thing to do, would have been to wait for his trial and if he's found guilty, then, and only then, remove him from office. Apparently "innocent until proven guilty" doesn't matter in modern politics.