I think politicians are honest, but most of them have ethics which are based on misguided premises. More based on the law of the jungle than on any higher principles. To my mind, the term "public servant" is a joke nowadays. Perhaps their Nobility Quotient was higher in the days Heinlein was brought up in.
Attrition has dwindled my friends down to a precious few. My one long-term friend from seventh grade remains, but he lived in New York, me here since the mid-sixties, but we corresponded and 'phoned. I tell ya true, I'm down to one more-or-less close friend in the building. The turnover rate is high in this senior citizen's apartment house due to their passing, moving in with grandkids, moving to assisted living, etc. Frankly, I'm afraid to do much bonding with people and my mobility issues limit that anyway.
Except for my two sons and three nieces and nephews all my close relatives are gone. My close cousin Bruce passed away about 1-1/2 years ago.
Not a very cheerful post, but I still have a sense of humor and an abiding faith in 99.9% of what our county's inventors did.
Terry, 230RN