Why People Hate Politicians

Political cartoon created for the cover of Puck Magazine on July 13, 1881. The cartoon shows Charles J. Guiteau with a gun, and a note that reads “AN OFFICE OR YOUR LIFE!”. The caption reads: “A Model Office Seeker”. It is accompanied by a quote: “I am a lawyer, a theologian, and a politician” – Charles J. Guiteau. Guiteau believed himself to be largely responsible for Garfield’s election to president, and demanded an ambassadorship in return. Photo by Published by Keppler & Schwarzmann, signed by James Albert Wales with his reversed initials, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Politicians are routinely some of the most disliked people in the United States. The approval ratings for Congress are abysmal. Current approval ratings are at 18% and the rating has been less than 20% for much of the past ten years. The public is frequently drawn to candidates who do not seem like “typical politicians,” those who seem particularly authentic or are from the world of business or celebrity. In fact, spending too much time in Congress or as a political leader can be seen as damaging for some races, such as the one for president. Only one House Speaker (James K. Polk) and one Senate Majority Leader (Lyndon Johnson) have ever become president. Of the past eight presidents, only two (George H.W. Bush and Joe Biden) ever served in the United States Congress.

Why do people hate politicians? There are a number of negative attributes that people associate with politicians and then use to describe the entire group. The clearest of these is a tendency to stretch the truth. Americans view politicians as a whole as liars, men and women who say what the electorate wants to hear while doing otherwise once in office. Politicians are also seen as weak-willed and terrified of angering lobbyists or powerful interest groups. They collect a government paycheck and line up their next corporate job without actually solving the problems that they were elected to fix in the first place.

But close to the top is self-interest. Politicians are all seen as out for themselves and not serving to benefit their constituents. Several stories in the news the past few weeks have made this sentiment as evident as ever. One of the most notable was the decision in Montana for Democrats to oppose a new state-level child tax credit. The bipartisan credit was a considerable expansion in social spending for Montana families. But some Democrats fought back against the bill, arguing that “it would be used by the governor’s office to justify inaction on Democrats’ priorities.” Democrats put their own priorities over convincing a Republican governor to expand the social safety net and aid thousands of people, a tactical misfire for a party that has fought for decades to change Republican views on government spending.

There has also been furor in New York over the state’s Court of Appeals. Democrats revolted at Governor Kathy Hochul’s first choice for the position, Hector Lasalle. The party highlighted several controversial decisions he had issued on the bench and closely voted down his nomination. But another candidate, Rowan Wilson, was approved last week after a controversy involving similar decisions from the bench. The main difference, as noted by New York’s Errol Louis, was that Wilson also fought hard to support the party’s gerrymandered congressional districts. Once again, the fear is that Democrats voted, not for the person who would be best for New York, but for the judge who would most reliably protect their legislative map.

The fact that both of these stories involve Democrats is important. Democrats often believe in a populist, good-government view of their party. It is the Republicans who are venal, selfish, and wholly committed to lining their own pockets and the pockets of their rich donors. Many Democrats believe that if only the country stopped listening to conservative media and saw what the Democrats were truly about and what they wanted, the party would win every election. Furthermore, political bad behavior harms the greater Democratic project. It is difficult to argue that the federal government can help the nation’s problems when so many people hate its leading representatives.

As a result, Democrats must let go of the selfish urge when in power more often than Republicans. They must focus more on protecting the country and their party than their own self-interests and bottom line. In addition, they must be careful to call out fellow Democrats when they violate ethics rules and act in a selfish manner. The future of their party and its reputation depends on it.