Politicians: Corrupt, Dirty, and Otherwise

The politician who is truly a servant of his constituency lives a life of sacrifice. It is easy to convince one's self that sacrifice deserves to be rewarded. The path to corruption often begins innocently. The official may accept a small favor that will lead to greater benefits for the constituents he serves before he would ever consider grabbing "the goodies" for himself. For some, the temptation becomes too great, and they begin down a long, slippery slope.

Corrupt politicians make great villains in radio drama. Not only do they possess the quality that is necessary for great melodrama, but their position makes them untouchable for the hero.

As The Green Hornet;s alter-ego is a newspaper man, he sees first hand the results of corruption.

Benita and Ronald Colman face small town pork-barrel politics head on in The Halls of Ivy.

Even The Lone Ranger faces down elected officials who think that their position as law makers puts them above the law.

The greater part of this collection is dedicated to historical and news broadcasts, which demonstrate that corruption is an all too real problem. In fact, this reporting is the single greatest deterrent we have to prevent or stop political corruption. Once a politician's actions are exposed, their constituents hold them accountable. This is one of the primary defenses against tyranny.

One of the historical features of the collection is a series of inaugural addresses as our leaders enter the highest office in the land. This should not be construed as implying that absolute power corrupts absolutely, although it does happen. We have also included selections from the Kennedy/Nixon debates from the 1960 presidential election.

A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny, as well as preventing corruption. Although gaining accurate information in the Age of the Internet is easier than ever, the lessons from the Golden Age of Radio still ring true.

See also America Town Meetings of the Air, University of Chicago Roundtable, Gracie for President and presidential recordings:

• Bill Clinton
• Dwight D Eisenhower
• George HW Bush
• George W Bush
• Gerald Ford
• FDR Fireside Chats and
• Harry Truman
• Herbert Hoover
• Jimmy Carter
• John F Kennedy
• Richard Nixon
• Ronald Reagan
• President Inaugurations