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September 05, 2005

Political Disaster

Since the hurricane, many folks seem to have gotten a handle on LA politics, but for those of you who may have some questions, here's a quick primer:

When someone, just about anyone, is elected to public office in LA, or appointed to a lucrative sinecure like warden of a state prison or chief of the NOPD, he is just taking a step on the road to higher ofice or a cushier, more lucrative appointment with even less to actually do. While he is in office, his job is not to do whatever he was elected or appointed to do, it is to do the favors which fall within the purview of his office for the people who got him there and to receive favors from those who owe him for services (awarding public works contracts, appointing "honorary" deputies, etc.) rendered. At no time is the politician to address any legitimate concern of any of the citizenry who elected him to office or otherwise pay his salary through taxes. If he did that, it might upset the status quo and inconvenience people who have either done him favors in the past (like the head of a corporation he awarded a contract to) or could potentially do him favors in the future (like that same corporate head giving him a seat on the board of directors should he fail to be re-elected). It goes without saying that, as a result of this system, no highly placed office holder or political appointee is ever competent to deal with something like a hurricane or other natural disaster, as they have not been put where they are based on competence or efficiency, but for the reach of their back-scratching hand.

The fact is, had the mayor and chief actually turned out to be up to the task without suffering mental breakdowns, I would have been shocked. The tears of those men were wept, not for the misery and devastation wrought by Katrina, but because they knew their political careers would be over when a national media spotlight was blazingly turned onto their utter unfitness for office.

But then, it is an axiom of politics is that no one capable of attaining high office should ever be allowed to hold it.

Posted by Patrick Yancey at September 5, 2005 02:55 PM

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