The Lust for Power..And Gold

Do you want to be a politician, a mayor, governor, senator, or even President of your own country? Think thrice!..and of course don't dare try if you don't have patrons, friends who would really support your campaign spree financially.

According to my recent research in the internet, the amount of money spent on U.S. presidential campaigns has skyrocketed since the mid-twentieth century. In 1952, presidential candidates spent a combined $16 million on their campaigns. By 1972, this amount rose to $90 million. And in 1996, the amount had totaled $120 million. These figures represent an increase of 750 percent from 1952 to 1996. (Source. http://www.answers.com/topic/how-much-money-is-spent-on-presidential-cam...).

In the Philippines as reported by Asia Pacific News, In the first two weeks of the Philippine campaign, one administration senatorial candidate spent some US$720,000 on television advertisements alone. According to this Senatorial bet who did not win in the last election, "It's a matter of strategy ". Source, Page 6: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/265200/1/.html.

You see, politicians are willing to spend millions in political Ads just to win the battle. Oh, what a wasteful political tactics that can really feed millions of their hungry countrymen had they spent it for them in terms of food-giving campaign.

But what lies ahead should he win in the election? Will his salary be more enjoyable? Can it finance his "wives"?

In the Section 17, Article XVIII of Philippine Constitution, it provides the corresponding salaries of Senators, to wit:

Until the Congress provides otherwise, the President shall receive an annual salary of three hundred thousand pesos; the Vice-President, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, two hundred forty thousand pesos each; the Senators, the members of the House of Representatives, the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, and the Chairmen of the Constitutional Commissions, two hundred four thousand pesos each; and the Members of the Constitutional Commissions, one hundred eighty thousand pesos each.

So, it is very clear that these politicians are not interested in their meager salary as government legislators or officials of the land. Therefore, what is their purpose of working in the government? Do they want to serve their country with all their hearts and soul, so help them God? Lol!

It's all power & gold that is all there is!

Author: Onofre Poonin
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Onofre_Poonin

More than twenty years in the investigative jobs. Twelve years of which were spent as Consular Investigator of the U.S. Embassy's Anti-Fraud Unit, Philippines. The rest were spent as Security Investigator/Manager of different security agencies in Metro Manila. As a BS Criminologist, I spend my time between essay article writings and security management job. I have published my first eleven articles in different websites and I'm currently working on my twelfth essay article.

I value my co-writers' thoughts, opinions, ideas, and their passion towards what they want to achieve. My philosophy revolves around the simple premise that I exist to turn my dreams into something real, and then shape that reality into an exceptional product, one which exceeds all of our expectations.

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