Unfortunately, government (elected and professional) also attracts those that hunger for control over others. For the power hungry it can be the ultimate power grab. It also attracts those who couldn't find a position of authority elsewhere so they seek it out in government. It attracts those with untamed, undisciplined, and even dangerous egos. It attracts the naive who have bizarre, irrational, and even harmful ideas on how things should be and how to get things done. It attracts those who range from slightly to significantly unhinged, extreme, or irrational. It attracts the self-absorbed who can't see the essential need for balance, restraint, or the great harm they can cause as they gratify their sense of self-importance in exerting unrighteous dominion over others. They see "their people" or "their supporters" as needing to be there for them, not the other way around. They use their authority not to serve, but to bully, leverage, and intimidate. Politicians who are not there for the right reason only work solve their own personal political agendas with little concern for the rights of all the people they are elected to serve. Getting re-elected becomes the singular purpose at the expense of doing the right thing and seeking the balance it takes to achieve that. They see themselves as kings and queens who are supposed to have all wisdom and make all decisions about other people's lives and stuff. The very nature of the electoral process means that to get elected, you have to be more extreme and ego driven than most. This dynamic increases the net average of "craziness" in politicians. This has only gotten worse in recent years on both ends of the political spectrum. Elected office unquestionably and unfortunately has a disproportionately higher percentage of unstable, mentally or emotionally unhealthy, irrational, and power hungry people. The poor judgement, unmeasured and unbalanced decisions, and unrestrained abuse of power that comes from those kinds of personalities running our lives wreaks untold havoc.
Until I saw the musical Hamilton, I didn't realize that King George was actually going unhinged, foaming at the mouth mad on top of being power hungry, controlling, ruthless, etc. The sarcastic reality of the now classic portrayal of King George in Hamilton is hilarious, but also painful and frightening. He's a joke that isn't a joke. There is nothing funny about the suffering people like that have caused the people they have controlled throughout history. The essence of this principle of unrighteous dominion is that people who get power become erratic, fanatical, insane, and drunk on that power. Or, people who are that way already hunger for and seek out that power. Hitler was about as pure evil as it gets. Mixed in with all his calculating, intentional, and fully conscientious hate, destruction, and evil it seems like there was also a toxic cauldron of neurosis, narcissism, paranoia, rage, and insanity. Even more terrifying is the number of people that were willing to buy into AND advance his insane evil. Look around today at elected officials from DC to the local city council. Ask yourself, how many are driven by pure intent to serve and lift? How many are driven by a calculated desire to control and dominate? And, how many are just mentally unbalanced or deranged and are creating an irrational or dangerous world for the rest of us?
There are some, while not necessarily foaming at the mouth insane, who simply believe that more government and less freedom is a rightful and reasonable answer to all the ills of a society. They sincerely believe "the greater good" always outweighs individual rights. Some believe individual liberties don't matter at all. Or, they believe that the rights of some outweigh the rights of others. Unrestrained, they chisel away at all of our liberties. Because of the harm they can cause us with all that authority amplified by the inflated platform of government, we are at their mercy. Once they get elected and have power over us, we are subject to the retaliation they can dish out when we push back or call out their excessive or irrational use of authority. Those with more righteous and balanced hearts are less inclined to run for office than those who hunger for the power and adulation it brings. Thus, it is all the more critical for the "less crazy" among us to step up and run for office.
