The differences between politicians and true leaders

For those of you who are not sure about the differences
between politicians and true leaders, let me explain. 

As you read from here, you should immediately recognize the differences
and why these differences are seriously hurting our National and Regional governments:

• Leaders care about the people they serve.
• Politicians care about themselves and their party.

• Leaders make decisions that help their entire constituency.
• Politicians make decisions that help individuals and lobbying groups that support them the most.

• Leaders spend money on long-term projects for the public good.
• Politicians spend money on projects that help them while they are in office.

• Leaders have no problem cutting waste from the budget.
• Politicians have difficulty cutting waste from the budget.

• Leaders fight bureaucracies.
• Politicians build and hide in bureaucracies.

• Leaders will accept and admit to mistakes.
• Politicians point fingers at others & never admit to mistakes.

• Leaders learn from their errors.
• Politicians never learn from theirs.

• Leaders work well with others, no matter what their political party.
• Politicians would never try this, (for fear of being blacklisted by their own party).

• Leaders establish public long term objectives and communicate them to all.
• Politicians keep their objectives secret, lest their political enemies know what they’re up to.

• Leaders cut costs.
• Politicians cut programs or raise taxes.

• Leaders terminate entire government departments or programs when their usefulness is over.
• Politicians never do.

• Leaders set examples of good behavior and good moral judgment that citizens can emulate.
• Politicians set examples of how to cheat the system. Unfortunately, citizens emulate.

• Leaders tell the truth.
• Politicians lie.

Hopefully, you can now see why we have so many problems today, 

and why we need to fundamentally re-examine the qualities that we require in those people we consider for our elected offices.