Congress

The United States Congress

Many individuals, if not all, would surely desire for prominence, power, control, to take on challenges, to obtain benefits and the like. Moreover, most individuals would love to be recognized, supported, looked up and handle certain responsibilities and roles to boost skills and abilities. Further, a number of individuals seek to extend help and assistance to those who are in need and the equivalent. All these objectives may be met and achieved by running for a position in the congress or government.

Certainly, there are a thousand reasons why individuals desire for a place in the government. Nevertheless, those motives would include but are not necessarily limited to the following:

To Gain Power

This is the main reason why individuals want to run for a position in Congress. It enables one to obtain power and authority over a number of certain jurisdictions. Having power translates to several benefits most of which are geared towards personal advantage and the equivalent. After all, it feels totally great to have control over a lot of things.

To Support and/or Boost a Business

Obtaining a position in Congress allows one to sustain and/or boost one’s own business. There are more than a few businessmen or business tycoons who have explored the Congress to achieve leverage in the field of trade or commerce and industry, where they can set up or found new laws as well as manipulate existing ones for the benefit of one’s personal business undertaking. This kind of practice stretches from a varied lot of industries, from bartending to bowling alleys.

To Earn Profits

It is essentially true that getting hold of a position in Congress paves the way for one to realize and amass profits beyond what is rightfully and legally due i.e., salaries, related benefits and the like. How? Congressmen may allocate budget for their specific projects but nevertheless, overstate the same so the excess funds can be personally utilized. For instance, a congressman may request for a road and bridge reconstruction budget which is pegged at $2,500,000. Nonetheless, the congressman and his members or allies contracted this particular project at an amount less than the budget, say $2,000,000 but still manages to obtain supports and liquidation of expenses accruing to $2,500,000, as though fully expended. With the use of one’s power and authority, a congressman can execute this form of misappropriation with absolute concealment.

Another one concrete example or method of embezzlement is improper utilization of “pork barrel”. By the way, a pork barrel is an allocation of government spending for regional projects, which is to send in money to a congressman or representative’s locality. This pork barrel could be exploited for personal gains by inventing ghost projects and the equivalent. Others embezzle government funds. All in the name of getting ahead!

Congressmen and political representatives may also accumulate funds or resources from organizations and/or businesses. Normally, most businessmen would want to obtain connection in the government to attain protection and support, in any kind, for the benefit of their respective businesses, and this is best carried out by remunerating congressmen and/or political representatives. Generally, government officials would draft or repeal laws so as to address the specific needs of businesses in return for the money or funds obtained from them. As a matter of fact, there are a number of illegal or unlawful trades which are secretly sanctioned and supported by certain local governments considering that those undertakings provide the seated government officials personal benefits, in whatever form it may be.

To Help Those in Need

Of course, this planet is not without sincere and honest politicians. There are a few individuals who would want to run for congress to use power in helping to build a better community. These are political aspirants who wish to impose changes to alleviate the worsening conditions of the society or improve the lives of their constituents through:

A. Providing health care facilities and hospitals that extend utmost services yet considerably economical or free of charge if possible. This is very crucial as those within the poverty line can hardly afford this basic need.

B. Putting up schools and strengthening education by initiating knowledge and skills development programs for the teachers and students. Education is the key and the first step towards addressing poverty.

C. Improving employment and introducing job opportunities, especially for the needy or less fortunate ones.

D. Helping to build homes for the community.

There are certainly more things or aspects to consider in addition to those enumerated above in which a politician may focus into. These are perhaps one of the topmost priorities or reasons why an individual wants to run for congress.

To Destroy Others

One of the reasons why an individual opts to run for congress, in rare cases however, is for him to use his power and authority to destroy others or a competitor, in one way or the other. Obtaining a seat in the government is one of the topmost positions, if not the uppermost rank, an individual could probably reach, and that spells having enough power to gain advantage over ordinary citizens. Normally, individuals would run for a position in the government or congress to tear down competitors in business, work and other related areas through manipulation of law and the like to achieve that end.

To Seek for Professional and/or Personal Development

Holding a seat in congress or government, regardless of the position, allows one to exercise his leadership skills at its finest. Being a politician entails having to shoulder great responsibilities and roles, as well as meet the expectations of the society. As the old saying goes, “leaders are born”. Yes, only few are capable of handling leadership positions and it is considered as an innate ability. Nevertheless, the same idea may not apply currently as “leaders are made” nowadays. Anyone can be a leader in his own right as long as the passion to lead is present and he takes it by heart. Anyhow, running for a political position and executing the functions are never easy, and these would automatically and clearly lead to development of one’s leadership skills and the like.

To Seek for Challenge

As emphasized earlier, running for congress and assuming the role of a political leader invokes for great responsibilities. It goes without saying that running for congress translates to having a big challenge. There are a number of individuals who are always motivated by undergoing challenges as they would bring out the best in them, and running for congress is deemed to be one of the best challenges any man could take up. This is also seen as one of the reasons why an individual would love to run for congress or for a position in the government.