But, as everybody knows, people are not rational and they often act selflessly.
So Democratic opinion leaders will be inclined to provide intellectual cover, either by soft-pedaling the downside of the policy, or by selflessly making their minds available to believe whatever most benefits their party.
In 14 lines, she managed to cast America in reality a raucous young nation built by the brains and brawn of newcomers as a sort of Lady Bountiful, selflessly extending asylum to the poorest and most wretched.
Many Thais revere him as a sort of latter-day Buddha, selflessly postponing his own enlightenment in order to guide his subjects through the mire of modern life.
The role model is the good Samaritan, who selflessly helps others, rather than himself.
It might step in if it could be seen as selflessly protecting the whole population and not, say, merely serving the old Thai establishment, as represented by the civil service, the judiciary, the monarchy…and itself.
But there the parallels stop: since handing over power, General Banzer is generally reckoned to have worked, not selflessly, maybe, but diligently, in politics to re-establish and uphold democracy.His party, the ADN, has performed well in the six elections since the birth of a new parliamentary democracy in 1983.
And General Pinochet's claim to have stood selflessly for the former was tarnished when it emerged that he had amassed a fortune incommensurate with his salary.
Mr Froome, who selflessly helped Wiggo (as both L'Equipe and the fans call him) to victory in the 2012 Tour, is better suited to the more mountainous route of the 2013 course.
Also, since both of his children have taken up golf, he selflessly plays with them at weekends.There is a lot of space in Boise.
Magyar fighters have gone selflessly into battle against their oppressors, taking on the Austrian army in 1848 or the Soviets in 1956.
