title: Psychiatric observations of state and local politicians.
abstract: The author, a psychiatrist and an elected official in a small town, compares his observations of local politicians with a mental health commissioner's observations of politicians at the state level. The author feels that local politicians tend to be more strongly oriented toward relatively altruistic public service. Several factors, including personal ambition and reduced public scrutiny, may contribute to the apparently greater selfishness of politicians at the state level.
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D003158:Community Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D010551:Personality; D011057:Politics; D011570:Psychiatry; D011641:Public Relations; D012917:Social Adjustment