Why don't YOU run for political office?

[foolsguinea]

This is kind of a poll, but since there are no prefab multiple choice answers, we'll try GD with the other political threads.

Why not run for political office yourself? Have you considered it?

I was talking to a friend of mine who has a poli sci degree, & she keeps finding political work, but she's loathe to run for office because she doesn't want to either bite her tongue or have to tell people in this conservative area what she really thinks of the Bible. And I think, why not try anyway? I don't expect a race for the legislature to be like picking a bishop, what do I care about her personal lack of religion? And there are plenty of people--conservative people--in this district that feel the same way. Are they going to vote for the fake-devout person in the privacy of the voting booth just because of what Ma would think?

Well, she has her job for this year anyway.

I'm thinking maybe I should run for something. And I shouldn't on paper, I'm a horrible candidate. I'm no leader of men, I'm often unemployed, I'm a college dropout, I'm unproven, I have no real experience in this. But I may run for some state legislature seat if no one else in the party does. Maybe this year. Maybe someday. If I'm not distracted by something shiny. If only to embarrass all the better candidates who were more respectable and more competent than I but afraid to try.

[Bearflag70]

I wouldn't mind, but I don't have time or energy to work the circuit.

[Stuffy]

A few years back when I lived in Oakland I swore I run for mayor if that's what it took to keep Igancio De Le Fuente from getting the job.

Realisitically I'm pretty sure I'm unelectable for a number of reasons.

[Giles]

I wouldn't mind, but I don't have time or energy to work the circuit.
Yes, that's my reason too. I have friends in Australia who are MPs, former MPs, councillors or former councillors. At one time I was president of a local branch of a political party. I've seen how much work they do, and I don't have the energy to do it.

[guizot]

I was talking to a friend of mine who has a poli sci degree, & she keeps finding political work, but she's loathe to run for office because she doesn't want to either bite her tongue or have to tell people in this conservative area what she really thinks of the Bible...For whatever reason, I don't think many of the people who have been elected to public office actually majored in poli sci. The common denominator is a law degree.

I'd never run because of too many skeletons hanging around you-know-where.

[kunilou]

I've had several friends who ran for office (some were elected, some not) and a bunch more who've had various non-elected positions in government (we might call them "bureaucrats") who wouldn't run if you paid them.

Regardless of their ideology, the ones who ran for office are much more people-oriented, while the ones who work behind the scenes are more inclined to feel that their major contribution comes from making the system work.

A lot of it actually does come down to one's willingness to work the circuit. And, sort of like being a salesperson, one's ability to endure people saying "no" to your face all the time.

Also, people in office, whether it's the city council or the president of the united states, pretty much surrender any hope of a private life. Some people tolerate getting a phone call at 3:00 in the morning from an angry constituent better than others.

[Airman Doors, USAF]

I have skeletons in my closet, as does everybody else, but I don't feel the need to put my family through the wringer and air private matters to feed my vanity. And that's what it is, vanity.

I've often said that the people you want to run for office never will for that very reason. It's only the people who are willing to inflict abuse upon their families that will run, and why would you want a person like that to run? No amount of power or money could make me do that.

A local office isn't such a big deal. I could run for borough council or the school board if I thought it would matter. But a national office? Not a chance.

[Mr. Excellent]

I live in Virginia, and I have publicly, vocally condemned the Confederacy as "treason in defense of slavery."

Many times.

I've said and done other wacky things, too - but that, in itself, would probably be damning when in came out.

[Squink]

I'm thinking maybe I should run for something...I ran for schoolboard as a senior in high school. Didn't win by a long shot, which is OK because I headed off to college, but I did get some funding from the local Republican party. Used it to print up yard signs and such. Talked to the city council, even got to attend the state pubby convention, which was very enlightening to this future Democrat.
Running for office makes an interesting experience, and there are plenty of positions, school board, weed board, natural resource district representative, etc that are not very competitive, yet allow you to get your campaign feet wet. If you win a slot on the weed board, and you find you like the feeling of power that gives you, ;) you can use the knowledge you've gained in that campaign to try for city council after a few years.
There's a learning curve to the process, but it isn't all that steep.

[BrotherCadfael]

I work in a position where I have to be aggressively non-partisan. Someday, when I retire, I might run for office.

I have a degree in political science, which is actually useful in my current career position.

[John Mace]

The country is not yet ready to accept the profound brilliance of my political beliefs.

When that time comes, I'll jump right in!

[Zsofia]

I kept asking my boyfriend that. Now I'm stuck supporting him through a mayoral race, which sucks like you would Not Believe. On the upside, he was on Look At This Fucking Hipster as "Look At This Fucking Campaign Website." So I guess we're famous.

Seriously, you have to have your whole household completely on board and willing to do anything. I've been to more amazingly boring mayoral forums as an ornament than I thought I could ever stomach. Drank wine across from some of the most repellent people who are killing my beloved city without spitting at them. Done all the campaign research on transportation and budgeting and public safety and sustainability and learned enough about how ugly the city's politics are to disillusion Pollyanna. It's an ugly business.

[Spoke]

I'm an atheist. End of story.

[Qin Shi Huangdi]

I may if I'm old enough to do. In fact I wouldn't mind being Presidents of the United States or even Emperor of Terra.

[Elendil's Heir]

I live in Virginia, and I have publicly, vocally condemned the Confederacy as "treason in defense of slavery."....

Hell, I'd probably vote for you for that reason alone. You, sir, are correct.

I know many elected officials, and have volunteered on many campaigns, in addition to one year of paid national field staff work (for Mike Dukakis, in 1987-88). Ohio elects its judges and I've considered running for several years now, but it would be so costly in terms of time, energy and money that for now I'm not going to do it. Maybe someday.

[ivan astikov]

I'm too honest and not ambitious enough.

[Acid Lamp]

Too much craziness in my past to get elected. The current media atmosphere is based upon digging up some old crap and blowing it entirely out of proportion until it becomes something to gawk at. I don't need that kind of headache. I'm also fairly certain that my no bullshit attitude would get me nowhere in Washington. I'm not good at sweet talking.

[Mr. Excellent]

Hell, I'd probably vote for you for that reason alone. You, sir, are correct.

I know many elected officials, and have volunteered on many campaigns, in addition to one year of paid national field staff work (for Mike Dukakis, in 1987-88). Ohio elects its judges and I've considered running for several years now, but it would be so costly in terms of time, energy and money that for now I'm not going to do it. Maybe someday.

Sweet! Two votes!

Oh ... wait. Ohio.

Darn.

[BrainGlutton]

I would. But I'm too old-fashioned to run in one of these newfangled election things, and organizing a private army takes time (even with cloning). It will be at least another year before I'm ready to make my bid for office. Accepting campaign (*snerk*) donations now! :)

[Zsofia]

You also learn revolting things about the electorate, by the way. Our friend is running against an incumbent who was literally busted for stealing from poor people (fraudulently getting her mother a loan which she also benefited from that was supposed to go to new businesses in economically depressed areas) and he's going to lose. Because people are going to vote for her because they know her name and she's the same color as they are. And other people won't vote for him because they wouldn't vote for a white man over a black woman, no matter how corrupt and vile the black woman.

Meanwhile, the newspaper essentially refuses to cover any mayoral candidates but the "big three". Guess who decided who the "big three" are? Right, the newspaper. Mostly because they have the most money. Not, mind you, the most individual donors not counting corporations - just the most money. They'll show a picture with nine candidates at a forum, but if you just read the article next to it you'd think there were only three there.

What I've learned is that you don't know a damned thing about local politics (and I'm sure national as well) unless you physically get up and go to forums, go to town halls, go to city council meetings. You have to spend most of your time seeking out information or you'll think everybody but those three people is some kind of Ron Paul loony. The fact is, a smart, educated, reasonable person could very well vote for, say, six or seven of the nine. They all have something worthwhile to say, surprisingly enough.

You lose any fresh-faced optimism you used to have about democracy, I tell you that. I was surprised at how much I had left to lose. If only for that, I wouldn't recommend it.

[FriarTed]

I was a member of the John Birch Society... TWICE! Start of the 80's & end of the 80's. The first time lasted 2-3 years till the local chapter fizzled out. Second time a new chapter was trying to start & I stayed in for a year but soon realized I'd drifted leftwards while they'd seemed to drift even more rightwards.

I'm just not interested in the mundane but important political issues.

I'm an ideologue, not a pragmatist.

[Kolga]

I'm Wiccan. And I live in sin with my boyfriend. That'll do it, right there.

[XT]

They won't let me be God Emperor...anything less than that is, simply put, not worth my time.

VIVE LA EMPEROR!!

-XT

[Triskadecamus]

Well, I wouldn't vote for me.

Besides, if I got elected, I might find out I liked it. Then I would have to go kill myself. It would be a real drag.

Tris
-----------------------------------------
"I believe that the fundamental flaw of democracy, as a political system is its pernicious indulgence of the wide spread desire of human beings to order the lives of their fellows. Republics add to this failure, the winnowing of the common man according to the strength of that same desire, until only those who aspire to tyranny are given authority." ~ Triskadecamus ~

[Krokodil]

I live in Virginia, and I have publicly, vocally condemned the Confederacy as "treason in defense of slavery."


While you were at it, why not point out to all Virginia's "direct descendants of Pocahontas" that they are lying, self-deluded sacks of shit? Then run for governor.

For my part, I ran for class president once in fifth grade. The only vote I got was the one I cast. The trauma has kept me squarely in the private sector ever since.

[Marley23]

Professional reasons. But if that weren't enough, I don't believe in god and country, I'm very suspicious of causes, I don't like gladhanding at all, I'm wary of making major ethical compromises, I don't like dealing with old boy's network types, and while as much as I support human rights and dignity, I also think there's a lot of truth in the old Carlin quote, "think about how stupid the average person is, and then realize that half of 'em are stupider than that."

Somewhat hypocritically, one of my ambitions in life is to get at least one write-in vote for President (from someone who isn't me). But I don't want to run for office myself.

[XT]

Well Marley, you could always aspire to be the Mod Emperor! :p

(Personally, and to be semi-serious...I know, out of character for me...I have no idea why people would WANT to run for public office. But then, I don't really understand the mindset for people who aspire to become movie stars or go on those really embarrassing reality shows either)

-XT

[Grumman]

Because I have only studied law as an aside, rather than as a primary focus. That, and my campaign would probably be over the first time I used the phrase "those fuckers" to refer to the current government.

I'm too honest and not ambitious enough.
:dubious:

[Marley23]

I think we're all better off if I don't have much more temporal authority than that. :p I do consider myself a disciple of Emperor Norton and I've been a card carrying Pope for more than a decade, so I've got that going on.

[pkbites]

Been there, done that.

I was the elected Chief Constable for a township for 3 two year terms.

I also ran for much higher office. I was outspent 70 to 1 and lost 60%-40%.
That was almost 20 years ago. Probably wouldn't do it again.

[MrDibble]

I'm an anarchist. 'nuff said.

[Todderbob]

At the age of 19, I have far too sorted a history. I can only imagine that by the time I'm of electable age, it'll be worse (far, far worse if I have anything to say about it).

I'm too much of a loudmouth, who'll say (far too readily) that someone's a moron.

[Indistinguishable]

I wouldn't enjoy the work, so what's the point? The stress and the scrutiny and so on are bad enough, but even apart from that, it's just not something I want to spend my time doing. I have no interest in crafting policy, managing diplomacy, campaigning to bring awareness to issues, or whatever else. That all seems really boring and drudgerous to me. Power is nice, having things my way is nice, but for a small-time position, there's not really that much of it, and for at least the big-time position... well, as The Onion recently said, being the president is the worst job in the country.

(Not that I enjoy work in general. I am laziness incarnate. But at least give me something I have a chance of finding fun.)

[ivan astikov]

:dubious:

Yes, that's right, your average crook is more honest than your average politician; the difference being, one group has never been caught at it and the really clever ones never do.

[Princhester]

I don't have the energy or charisma or the desire.

But even if I did, I would want nothing to do with something which, from what I've seen, is a nasty, low, dishonest business. I equivocate in my own mind between feeling contempt for politicians and feeling that I am being unfair to politicians who have no choice but to pander to a contemptible electorate.

[FriarTed]

I think we're all better off if I don't have much more temporal authority than that. :p I do consider myself a disciple of Emperor Norton and I've been a card carrying Pope for more than a decade, so I've got that going on.

Someone's read too much RAW!

[Quartz]

Didn't one of the Canadian Dopers have a serious tilt at becoming an MP? matt_mcl?

Hmm... I wonder if I can get the DWP to spring for my deposit?

[Sage Rat]

I wouldn't want to join either party. Starting an all-new party and going out and winning an election would require some amount of wealth or a name. I don't have wealth and my blog is hardly attracting any attention, so I'm not optimistic.

[Quartz]

On a more serious point, how many here would consider running for election as issue candidates - not because they had a reasonable chance of election but to raise the profile of issues important to them?

[Uzi]

The pay is shit. Why would I want to take a pay cut? Nor do I know enough to take the kickbacks and payoffs from the right people to make it worth while.

[ivan astikov]

On a more serious point, how many here would consider running for election as issue candidates - not because they had a reasonable chance of election but to raise the profile of issues important to them?

Now this I would be more interested in. It encourages specialisation or expertise in specific areas, rather than a Jack of all trades, master of none ethic.

[ShibbOleth]

There are a few Dopers who have run or are running for public office.

I don't because I would want the media scrutiny, I'm not charismatic and I've dealt with politics before and came away feeling as if I needed several months of long, hot showers.

[Revenant Threshold]

Well, it would just be unfair to all the other candidates.

[Khadaji]

Too many sex scandals with super-models. OK, only in my dreams. In truth, I do not have the patience required for a life in politics.

[villa]

I dipped my toe in (getting to the stage of my nomination being discussed, and having a reasonably senior local party position) when I realized I was unwilling to be a good little party line boy for the rest of my life.

Since then of course the skeletons have pushed the closet door open and have now taken over the entire bedroom, so if I were to want to now, that ship has well and truly sailed.

[Translucent Daydream]

I already am in office, and let me tell you, its a lot of work.

- TD, Captain Kick-Ass of Planet Awesome

[Whack-a-Mole]

Reminds me of a quote which (dim memory) I will probably butcher and have no attribution for but it goes something like:

"Those too smart to run for public office are doomed to be ruled by people dumber than they are."

[cwthree]

I take pride in having an honest job.

[Skald the Rhymer]

They won't let me be God Emperor...anything less than that is, simply put, not worth my time.

VIVE LA EMPEROR!!

-XT

No one "lets" you become God-Emperor. That is not what "God-Emperor" means.

I have too many skeletons.

[SteveG1]

I have skeletons in my closet, as does everybody else, but I don't feel the need to put my family through the wringer and air private matters to feed my vanity. And that's what it is, vanity.
A local office isn't such a big deal. I could run for borough council or the school board if I thought it would matter. But a national office? Not a chance.
True, some things just are not worth it. The “opposition” will dredge up anything they can from the past, to use against you. If they don’t find anything, they will make it up. They will take completely irrelevant things and crucify you over them. Etc.

I was talking to a friend of mine who has a poli sci degree, & she keeps finding political work, but she's loathe to run for office because she doesn't want to either bite her tongue or have to tell people in this conservative area what she really thinks of the Bible. And I think, why not try anyway? I don't expect a race for the legislature to be like picking a bishop, what do I care about her personal lack of religion? And there are plenty of people--conservative people--in this district that feel the same way. Are they going to vote for the fake-devout person in the privacy of the voting booth just because of what Ma would think?
Some people do care about that, at least long enough to demonize you and win the election for themselves. But it isn’t just religion. No matter what your opinion is, you will be The Beast, The Enemy. If you stick to something you are stubbon and stupid. If you change your mind or position, you are spineless (and stupid). In short, no matter what, you are painted as a vile piece of garbage by someone. And you have to bit your tongue a LOT.

I may if I'm old enough to do. In fact I wouldn't mind being Presidents of the United States or even Emperor of Terra.
Before you do, take a look at some photos that are readily available on the web…
“Before and After” pictures of various former presidents. They go into the White House looking fit and strong. Four or eight years later, they have aged. They REALLY aged. You gotta wonder, why would anyone willingly put themselves through that. No matter what you do, it will be wrong. No matter what happens anywhere in the world, it will be your fault. You will be well and totally screwed. It just isn’t worth it. Run like hell.
… I'm too much of a loudmouth, who'll say (far too readily) that someone's a moron.
That would be one of my problems. It wouldn’t go over too well, during a Town Hall or debate, to lose my cool and yell “What are you, fucking stupid?”. My campaign would be over in the first five minutes :D

[Skammer]

I'm too conservative to be a Democrat (anti-abortion, anti-embryonic stem cell research to name two issues) and too liberal to be a Republican (pro gun control, pro-UHC, pro taxes). I'm not wealthy enough to run without party support. And I like my current job.

[Eonwe]

I've been thinking semi-seriously about it for the past year.

The problems are threefold:

First, the pay is crap (for say, the statehouse). Of course, I'm pretty poor anyway, so it wouldn't be a step down.

Second, I don't think I could genuinely be on board with any party around here (I'm mostly-kinda a Democrat, but in many ways I'm decidedly not), which makes funding and support a big challenge.

Third, I love my current work, and I'd have to give up a lot of it to devote time while the house is in session (and while it's not as well, I imagine).


Still, it is a tempting thought.

[Justin_Bailey]

I've thought about running for town supervisor of my sleepy little burg (and there's a very good chance I'd win too), but I'm enough of a people person to actually put it all together.

[asterion]

I thought about it, but I'm clearly not qualified for public office as I only took one school and four years to get a bachelor's degree.

[silenus]

I have a veritable Danse Macabre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Holbein-death.png) of skeletons in my closet, so running for public office is contra-indicated. :D

[BlinkingDuck]

This is kind of a poll, but since there are no prefab multiple choice answers, we'll try GD with the other political threads.

Why not run for political office yourself? Have you considered it?

I was talking to a friend of mine who has a poli sci degree, & she keeps finding political work, but she's loathe to run for office because she doesn't want to either bite her tongue or have to tell people in this conservative area what she really thinks of the Bible. And I think, why not try anyway? I don't expect a race for the legislature to be like picking a bishop, what do I care about her personal lack of religion? And there are plenty of people--conservative people--in this district that feel the same way. Are they going to vote for the fake-devout person in the privacy of the voting booth just because of what Ma would think?

Well, she has her job for this year anyway.

I'm thinking maybe I should run for something. And I shouldn't on paper, I'm a horrible candidate. I'm no leader of men, I'm often unemployed, I'm a college dropout, I'm unproven, I have no real experience in this. But I may run for some state legislature seat if no one else in the party does. Maybe this year. Maybe someday. If I'm not distracted by something shiny. If only to embarrass all the better candidates who were more respectable and more competent than I but afraid to try.

Nobody would vote for me. I couldn't sell water to a man dying of thirst...

[Ranchoth]

I have skeletons in my closet, no budget, a lack of people skills, and a grossly unusual mix of political views. I think I'd have better luck going for "Warlord."

[Todderbob]

I'm too conservative to be a Democrat (anti-abortion, anti-embryonic stem cell research to name two issues) and too liberal to be a Republican (pro gun control, pro-UHC, pro taxes). I'm not wealthy enough to run without party support. And I like my current job.Hey, I'm exactly opposite. We should be fake running mates.

I'm pro-choice (but anti-abortion... I think it should be an option, but only exercised after the woman has exhausted or at least considered all other choices), pro-stem cell research, anti "gun control", although you and I do agree on UHC, and I'm only "pro-tax" in the sense that I think we need to tax enough to have a federal surplus, not deficit.

[Elendil's Heir]

I thought about it, but I'm clearly not qualified for public office as I only took one school and four years to get a bachelor's degree.

Hey, c'mon. There must be a largely-rural state somewhere that would elect you governor.

[Kearsen]

On a smaller sized scale, I have. I've been a city council representative and a mayoral candidate (very similar to a city council rep).

Most people will only run (unless it is their passion to be a politician) if it affects them or their own directly.

School Board members are a prime example. Local politics is done for (most of) the right reasons, why does it get so shit tossed when it becomes a state or national level issue?

Also, most people I know don't fit neatly into the political categories of today's society. This is a big problem when asking for funding from your base...

[Elendil's Heir]

Reminds me of a quote which (dim memory) I will probably butcher and have no attribution for but it goes something like:

"Those too smart to run for public office are doomed to be ruled by people dumber than they are."


"The punishment wise men suffer, who refuse to take part in government, is to suffer under a government of worse men." - Plato

And consider:

"If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost." - Aristotle

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." - Thomas Paine

"In America, anyone can become President, and that's just the risk you take." - Will Rogers

"In 1929 the wise, far-seeing electors of my native Hereford sent me to Westminster and, two years later, the lousy bastards kicked me out." - Frank Owen

"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others which have been tried from time to time." - Winston Churchill

“Democracy is more than two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for dinner.” – James Bovard

[ivan astikov]

"The person who wants the presidency most, should be the last person to get the job."

[nivlac]

To hold political office means becoming a public figure. I'm not about to give up my cherished privacy. I don't like the idea of people poking into my background, making critical (but not considered slanderous) comments about me, distorting my record, etc.

[ChrisBooth12]

I do not believe in god

[Voyager]

I do not believe in god

I live in the district of the only avowed atheist in Congress, so I can't use this excuse.

My problem is that I have a terrible memory for faces, and would probably not recognize the guy who just gave me a bunch of money. I also don't like cocktail parties very much.

I have worked for a few campaigns (all losers, I'm happy to say) so if I had time for politics that's the way I'd go.

[Stoneburg]

I did, I am and I recommend it.

[XT]

I just want to say that I think the 'I don't believe in God' excuse to be, well, lame. Unless you are going to wear your atheism as a badge and plan to beat people over the head with it I don't think it would really be a factor. No candidate comes out and says "I'm into adultery and plan to scrump anything in a skirt that moves" after all, and yet many of them do this. No candidate gives a speech saying "Special interests? Bring on the MOOOLAH!" either, yet some do it anyway.

Being an atheist is only a bar if you are silly enough to run in a heavily religious state and come right out and tell everyone your thoughts on the subject. Myself, if I were stupid enough to run for office, I'd simply focus my campaign on other issues and if directly asked I'd calmly tell the reporter asking to go fuck themselves...but in a diplomatic way, of course. Well...probably not, which only further highlights my own unsuitability for public office.

-XT

[foolsguinea]

I'm too conservative to be a Democrat (anti-abortion, anti-embryonic stem cell research to name two issues) and too liberal to be a Republican (pro gun control, pro-UHC, pro taxes). I'm not wealthy enough to run without party support. And I like my current job.See, I would love for people like you to run. (You pretty much have my mom's stance on those issues. :)) The media want us to think that the opposite position on each of those issues is the "moderate" take.

[HoboStew]

The honest answer for me, and I would wager for just about everyone else, is "I would lose." It would take a lot of time & money & I know next to nothing about politics other than my half-assed armchair analysis. I'm sure people look at political work and think "Anyone could do this!" but I would imagine the devil is in the details and when you see what actually goes in to getting elected, most of us would fall short.

[Maeglin]

Here is my political scientist answer.

The expected utility of my victory less the costs of candidacy is strictly less than the expected utility I would get from almost any other candidate winning. It's much more efficient just to let someone else run who has a good chance of winning, who has to foot the bill himself, and whose policy preferences aren't all that different from mine. I don't run for office because I prefer to free ride where possible, just like everyone else.

If Lyndon LaRouche were running for Tyrant unopposed, the above condition would obviously fail and I would be handing out flyers on the subway. I would further hope my political enemies don't manage to dig up my Bar Mitzvah video or something equally humiliating.

[Rand Rover]

Besides the fact that no one would vote for me (I'm a fiscal conservative and an atheist), I wouldn't want to take the pay cut.

[begbert2]

'Cause I don't wanna.

Aside from that, aside from being male, white, straight, and still having all my limbs and most of my faculties, pretty much everything about me separately and individually makes me unelectable, much less when taken in combination. Particularly here in Idaho.

[Algher]

I have considered it, and I would not be a bad fit where I live. However, I spent some time as the head of the local soccer youth group. During that time I was reminded that around 10% of y'all SUCK. Unfortunately, that 10% takes up an inordinate amount of time just to keep quiet enough so that real work can be done. If I went into politics, sooner or later that 10% would be calling to request / complain / agitate / etc. I would be forced to either be nice to everyone, or finally tell someone to piss up a rope.

I would be happy to serve, and I have considered it as a final career, once my sons are out of college. But I will have to have a good strategy for dealing with some of the idiots out there.

[Elendil's Heir]

I did, I am and I recommend it.

May we know for which office(s), and how frequently successful?

[Qin Shi Huangdi]

Before you do, take a look at some photos that are readily available on the web…
“Before and After” pictures of various former presidents. They go into the White House looking fit and strong. Four or eight years later, they have aged. They REALLY aged. You gotta wonder, why would anyone willingly put themselves through that. No matter what you do, it will be wrong. No matter what happens anywhere in the world, it will be your fault. You will be well and totally screwed. It just isn’t worth it. Run like hell.



Perhaps but I have a moral duty to improve society and the human condition and I say "d*** the press." In fact were I president I would give special privileges (for example interviews) to decent news sources like PBS NewsHour or BBC.

[Martini Enfield]

Perhaps but I have a moral duty to improve society and the human condition and I say "d*** the press." In fact were I president I would give special privileges (for example interviews) to decent news sources like PBS NewsHour or BBC.

I see you're practising your censorship skills already.

And I don't run for office because A) I wasn't born here and as soon as that comes out I've got no chance of being elected (the last NZer who ended up as Premier of QLD turned the place into a police state), I tend to be fairly anti-"Trendy" things like caring about the environment, and I think Imperialism and Colonialism were (and could still be) good things.

Realistically, the only way I would have any chance of being elected as an independent (because I don't really like any of the main political parties) would be to run as a candidate in some remote Outback electorate that encompasses an area the size of Belgium but only has something like 20,000 people in it. And even then, I'd be running against the incumbent, so I'd still have no chance because the incumbents in ultra-rural electorates tend to be fairly well known and have a lot of support, especially if they've been doing a good job for any length of time.

[Lok]

That, and my campaign would probably be over the first time I used the phrase "those fuckers" to refer to the current government.


:dubious:

These days? That will get you votes from the right and the left. And probable most of the center as well.

I have thought about it. But I am not a people person, and I do not suffer fools well. Plus I am a Democrat in a very Red part of Ohio.

A couple of years ago, a young woman ran here in this district for State Representative. She grew up here, went to high school here, and moved back here when she got out of college. But she was a conservative Democrat and couldn't even win the town she grew up in, never mind the entire district. I can't remember the last time we actually had to have a primary for Democrats for local offices. It is usually a surprise if even one runs for an office.