Editor:
I spent my professional life working with politicians. The vast majority of them were honest, hard-working individuals who contributed to their community.
People often asked why I didn't run for politics, and it was because of letters like "draining the swamp," which implies that people we elect are less than the best.
Since it is not compulsory for people who to run for office, we can only elect those that put themselves forward. But the "draining the swamp" letter implies that we should get rid of them.
Donald Trump didn't pay many taxes; during his last year as president, he a) ddn't pay any taxes; b) incited a riot against the Congress of the United States of America in which people died — and was held accountable not by the courts but by an election.
I admire politicians. I count many of them as my friends. If you think you can do better than the present ones, then by all means put yourself forward. Put your views forward. Put your life forward.
As an example: one of my friends was in power when the provincial government decided to scrap the "gold-plated" (the media's title) pension plan.
After over 20 years in politics, this person retired — only to find that she had a very meagre pension that she could not live on.
While friends had been working in jobs with pensions and with better pay, this person had run for office and won. An MP in Ottawa spends many hours of travel to get to work. Then they return home to do their constituency work. Then they get invited to every event and if they don't show up, the people who invited them dislike them.
One of the other things politicians have to deal with is declining revenue. Our natural resources revenue keeps dropping; things like COVID destroyed the tourism revenue. But the politicians need to find ways to keep the services going.
Government employees who went without significant pay increases for years would not sign this year for the "home team discount."
Remember, politicians pay the same taxes, levies, fees that you and I do. They pay for programs that previous governments have put in place. They are ordinary people asked to do extraordinary things. I am thankful to each and every one of them who runs for office.
And if Trump is the alternate — sorry, I like the swamp the way it is. So when the provincial election comes around next, let's see how many of the "drain the swamp" supporters put themselves out there.
John Blatherwick
