By Colin Roth

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“Politicians who abuse their absolute power as leaders end up hurting their country instead of helping it.”

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-Power and Rationality are very important when dealing with power.
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-Definitions of both words.
Why do people lust after power?
What is the influence of power?
With power comes responsibility, and the need to think rationally about how you use it.

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People naturally use power to their advantage.
Cause: Coming to/obtaining political power
Effect: How one chooses to use this extreme power.

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“ I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.” -
Thomas Jefferson

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Obtain an immense amount of power and control.
With control comes responsibility.
Makes decisions on laws, and decides what is acceptable and what isn’t.
Known, respected, or feared by nation.
Political decisions must be made to benefit country not their own status.
Must make rational decisions
Abuse of political power can be devastating.

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Post 9/11 reaction.
Retaliation bombing.
Showed world how we tough we think we are, and how we believe we can push other countries around.
Global negative effect on country. -->
Troops in Iraq--> losing too many soldiers/troops
Fuel War
Hurting our country. Killing our soldiers and wasting our money.
“If the world gets marching orders from America and not a common vision, it will be less inclined to follow them…Carrying a big stick and speaking loudly at the same time only turns one into a schoolyard bully.”-Michael Hirsch(Senior Editor for Newsweek)

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Leader of Nazi Germany
Little man with too much power
Believed Germany should be the center of the world.
Clever, but horrible man who lost sight of what his job as a politician should be.
Abused power to exemplify his ideas and status.
His power put him in charge of Germany.
Ironically same power turned the world against him.
His abuse of power has made him historically known as a murderer, not a leader.
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” -Lord Acton of England.

 One could argue that abuse of power is good because it makes other countries afraid and shows them how powerful a nation can be.

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Why does it matter?
Politicians run our country.
When will the abuse of political power cease? Will it ever?
Since talking doesn’t solve anything these days, war might be the only means of resolution in the future.
(hypothetical)
“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.
We have guided missles and misguided men.” Martin
Luther King Jr.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3B5c1J6vO
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