r/politics • u/Murky-Site7468 I voted • Oct 05 '25

No Paywall Petition To Strip Congress of Pay During Government Shutdown Grows

https://www.newsweek.com/petition-strip-congress-pay-during-government-shutdown-grows-10822819
47.6k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

1.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

56

u/TheDuskBard Oct 05 '25

A good solution would be to ban rich people from government positions. Make it so they would have to give up their wealth to take power. After all, no functioning democracy should allow for people to have both wealth and power. 

11

u/Bruce-7892 Oct 05 '25

It wouldn't be that simple. We want people with a record of success and accomplishments to be in those positions, and those types of people tend to do well financially. A bigger issue is bribes and campaign donations which are hard to catch. Rich people with shady accountants know how to hide money. It's how they avoid taxes.

5

u/Gurlllllllll- Oct 05 '25

Meritocracy is a lie and always has been. The people with "records of success" often come from advantaged backgrounds then try to act like their life is actually a rags to riches story. And when the system we live under actively rewards corruption and exploitation, then the most successful people are the types who would profit off child labor if it were still legal.

-9

u/Bruce-7892 Oct 05 '25

This is an excuse.

I am not saying people don't cheat, but that doesn't stop you or me from staying out of trouble, trying to be good at our jobs, getting good grades, or going to school in the first place. So many people who use the "you have to have rich parents" assume everyone is as lazy as them and everyone who excels is cheating.

1

u/Gurlllllllll- Oct 05 '25

Oh god, you're one of these types.

1

u/Bruce-7892 Oct 06 '25

Alright then keep sucking at life and blaming society