The Cowardly Voter

I had earlier this week proposed means-testing as a reform path for Social Security. In a lunchtime chat with a co-worker, and a comment to my post, it was suggested that the reason this would never go over, is that it would be political suicide for the politicians who announce support for it. Now I'll be the first to admit that a lot of my political suggestions aren't exactly mainstream. :)
But I don't think I'm alone.

This is an example of a form of self-defeating logic I've seen before.

I can't support X because it's political suicide.

Well, heck, if good ideas that aren't popular aren't supported by voters makes one wonder if the bigger problem is that lots of other people are coming to the same conclusion? No wonder our elected officials are so often so cowardly in office, never daring to support many good ideas fearing it might tee off the wrong voting bloc.

It would seem to me that if we the public would announce to our compatriots that we support good ideas which may not make the best political sense, then perhaps the cowardly pack of ne'er-do-wells in Washington would occasionally get up the gumption to vote for good ideas that nevertheless are a bitter pill to swallow.