When did doing the right thing become wrong?

Reform-minded candidates are popular. The message they bring when they run for office is usually well-received. They want to root out corruption in government; do away with waste, fraud, and abuse; and start doing things by the book, according to laws and policies. They campaign on eliminating political favors, hiring public employees based on qualifications and not on party registration or support for the winner, spending public money on public projects, and other things that in theory we should all support.

But what happens when such a candidate wins and actually starts implementing those good-government policies? When certain members of the public see that their new officials are keeping their promises, they get upset.

We've all seen it, especially in small towns and rural counties. When ordinances are enforced, laws are followed, and policies are adhered to, people get their feelings hurt. Things they took for granted in the past are no longer permitted. They want the right thing done unless doing the right thing means they don't get any favors anymore. When officials stop spending public money on private property, insist that legal agreements and contracts be abided by, and demand accountability and transparency in government, their popularity can tank in a hurry when members of the public find out they actually meant what they said when they were running for office.

Tax dollars are scarce. The populace is overtaxed at every level -- federal, state, and local. We entrust our elected officials to be good stewards of that money and use it for legally-intended purposes. We elect administrative and legislative officials to set budgets, enact policies, and establish guidelines for how that money is spent. We want the best people to be hired for the positions they hold based on their qualifications, and not their politics. But let an official decide not to gravel a private driveway, actually make personnel decisions based on qualifications, or insist on procedures being followed, and see how quickly they come under fire.

It's no wonder so few people decide to take the plunge to run for elective office. If their efforts to do the right thing are met with disdain and scorn, why bother?

Doing the right thing may often be unpopular, but it's never wrong. The swamp needs to be drained. It's vital that we support those who are trying to drain it, and not help those who put the stoppers back in the drains. We must insist on accountability, honesty, transparency, and legality in our government.