Pirkei Avot 2:3

Pirkei Avot 2:3

"Be careful with authorities, for they do not befriend a person except for their own sake. They appear as friends when they benefit from it, but they do not stand by a person in his time of need."

This mishna reminds me of the Hebrew National commercial: "We answer to a higher authority." Political authorities are human.  They are primarily motivated to preserve their power.  Therefore they will do what preserves or increases their power, regardless of whether it is moral or right.  This includes taking positions which are popular, regardless of whether they are just or right.  Often an authority will take positions that are popular with their own supporters or likely supporters, so as to increase their popularity. This obviously detracts from the virtue of their positions.  They are ultimately movitivated by whatever increases or solidifies their power, and they and we know it.

We are tempted to make friends with authorities, both because of the prestige and the influence it may bring us.  However when we do so, we undermine our moral authority, because authorities are primarily motivate by another goal: the preservation of their own power.  When we become overly attached to authorities, we lose our independence regarding morality, because we become drawn to another objective, i.e., the increase of our power and status.  The truly moral man or woman must put nothing ahead of the commandments of G-d, including the cultivation of authorities.