What is the Minimal Percent of FEDERAL Politicians You Think Are Honest?

[JimBowie1958]

What is the Minimal Percent of FEDERAL Politicians You Think Are Honest?

I mean, worst case scenario in your opinion, what is the lowest percentage of FEDERAL level politicians you thinks are honest men who would not engage in Quid pro Quo, doing favors for political donations, etc?

So if you think somewhere between 20% to 50% of federal politicians (POTUS, Representative in the House, Senators, etc) are strictly honest, your answer would be 20%.

Would you say that at least 20% of them are honest? 30%? 40% 0%?


Which poll option is closest to the most credible minimum range?

 

[PratchettFan]

If by honest you mean they keep their word, vote their conscience and always keep doing their job as their priority - then absolutely none of them do. Not that I blame them much. Anyone who did all of those wouldn't get elected.

 

[blastoff]

Two to five percent, max.

 

[Asclepias]

If by honest you mean they keep their word, vote their conscience and always keep doing their job as their priority - then absolutely none of them do. Not that I blame them much. Anyone who did all of those wouldn't get elected.

Exactly. You cant possibly become a successful high level politician without being dishonest about something.

 

[JimBowie1958]

If by honest you mean they keep their word, vote their conscience and always keep doing their job as their priority - then absolutely none of them do. Not that I blame them much. Anyone who did all of those wouldn't get elected.

I don't know about none of them keep any of their promises. Obviously Cantor was keen on keeping his promises to Microsoft and other corporations about immigration reform and allowing them to get millions of new indentured servants in the H1-B program. And in general corporations manage to get their way and keep close tabs on those they donate serious money to.

Why cant 'We the People' not do similarly?

 

[JWBooth]

Politicians are liars, it is the nature of the beast.

 

[shart_attack]

I went with 5%, even though I have no way right offhand to be able to prove it.

 

[Dayton3]

I voted 90%. Now don't go crazy on me.

Politics is largely about making compromises and deals. About taking 60% of what you want and being willing to flush the other 40%.

I think lots of Americans make the huge and overly cynical mistake of believing the perfectly normal (and ethical) give and take of politics is corruption.

Also, it doesn't take a very large percentage of law breaking and corruption to taint everyone. In regards to criminologists I've heard that number is about 10%. That is when 10% of people get away with a crime it destroys all trust in the law itself.

So I'll go with 90%.

Another mistake American voters make regarding politicians is thinking that "ineffectiveness equals corruption".

This is huge. Just because you're no good at your job doesn't mean you are corrupt.