Our politicians who are successful in winning places at the public trough prescribe that they be referred to in respectful ways that mask their true natures and conduct that in almost all cases are unscrupulous, scheming, grasping, craven, and crooked.
Thus judges require that they be addressed respectfully -- without regard to whether their conduct deserves respect -- as "your honor." Letters to them and to almost all elected officials, from U.S. senators to local city council members, are supposed to be addressed, for example, to "The Honorable John Dumbshit." Why? Because they say so, and because they can enact and have enacted legislation saying so. No other reason.
Mark Twain had it right when he noted the absence of any native American criminal class except for members of congress. He was preceded by many centuries by the unknown author of the ancient Chinese truism stating that "the individual who seeks power should not be entrusted with it."
Instead of filling our public offices by choosing between candidates seeking power, we would be better served by, at random or on the basis of private accomplishments, drafting citizens to fill each an every necessary public office, with each draftee to serve for a limited period of time and then return to his private pursuits. We could go to any large shopping mall and round up 535 people who would comprise a better congress than the one we've got.
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