ITT, predictably: lots of boring cynicism and nihilism. In a democracy you get the leaders you deserve. It’s right in the definition of the term. If our leaders are bad, it’s literally our fault.
Of course, as with anything else in life, it’s always much easier to blame others.
Yes yes, downvote away. Cognitive dissonance is a bummer, right? Anything’s better than accepting responsiblity
Perhaps Sweden is different then. I have also worked in politics and it is certainly widespread elsewhere. Historically, communist parties did it as a matter of routine. For smaller leftist parties today, the cut from MP pay can be a serious form of income. From a British think tank: “The regular collection of a fixed salary share from parliamentarians is not just a widespread practice, but for many parties also a lucrative one.” IIRC even the former French FN had a policy of taking a certain percentage.
Anyway, you seem to have downvoted my comment so that will be the end of this discussion.