Most of us are deeply dissatisfied with the quality of our representatives. We detest the modern GOP, and we are frustrated with the weak voice of the Democratic Party. We can sit around moping, or we can do something about it. But here is what I want to know. What kind of candidates do we want? Who in your community might step up and run for office, and why should we support them?
I’m not talking about the Presidency, but about the House of Representatives or the Senate.
First of all, what kind of experience should a lawmaker have? Should they be familiar with the law or laws? Should they have experience organizing people…managerial experience? Should they have a history of activism and advocacy? Should they have experience meeting a payroll and navigating regulations?
To me, a representative needs to have a lot of skill sets. They need to be comfortable talking to people and asking people for things (money, time, their vote). They need to be good at following up on problems and getting things done. They need to be able to assemble a staff and delegate tasks. They need to articulate their beliefs and policies in a convincing manner. They need to learn how to trade votes and make alliances on the Hill.
And they need to be able to take criticism. Lots of criticism.
I know a lot of people that would be great advocates for progressive issues, but they have a fatal flaw. Maybe they are camera shy, or they can’t speak in front of large groups, or they are too shy to ask people for help. Being a successful politician is difficult and not everyone can do it.
What do you think makes a good politician, and who do you know that you’d like to see run for office?
This is why we have the perfectly blow-dried pieces of shit who increasing populate our halls of governance. Please, instead of skill sets, give me a person with a bad haircut or a lisp who is intelligent, cares about his or her community and really wants to do public service.
It’s possible to be comfortable asking for things and be conventionally ugly or awkward. Look at Representative Nadler.
but I think he represents an exception that is daily becoming more exceptional.
Did you say blow dried?
(Today is not a day for deep thinking here in Calgary…)
You know, he’s never been as cute as was in Legends of the Fall…(did my deep thinking in my neurology class earlier tonight…)
not “mmmmm neurology”…”mmmmm Brad in Legends of the Fall”…
I’ll vote for Brad Pitt from 12 Monkey’s. It’s about what we’ve got today anyhow.
Really appreciate this great introduction. Though as far as I can see, you covered pretty much everything. Not much to add.
After pondering a bit; what about putting local interests above national interests – and for that matter, regional or global interests?
I would like to think that I would put global interests first, before local, ‘selfish’ or short-term solutions. But would we want that from our representative?
After having a couple drinks last night, I started writing down what I would like a candidate for office to say. This was as far as I got.
Cheers! I’ll have what you’re having! 🙂
I’ll have what she’s having.
the Madeline Khan kinda panic 🙂 I’m fine.
Got the confirmations out for the room. Everyone is set with a safe place to rest those night 🙂
Bueno!
wrong window post 🙂
it’s becoming an increasingly more common tactic of the GOP to have a candidate switch parties so you’re really chosing between two republicans. Not that I really identify all that much with the Democratic party, but maybe they ought to have a membership exam with questions such as:
You see a person lying on the ground gasping for air and clutching at their chest. What do you do?
A. Administer CPR while dialling 911.
B. Tell the bum to get a decent job with health benefits.
C. Wait for a “faith-based” organization to come to the rescue (after confirming that the person is not gay, lesbian, pro-choice, anti-war, poor, liberal, athiest, non-christian or a member of the ACLU or NAACP)
D. Declare a national emergency and wait three days for FEMA and the National Guard to arrive (three blocks away). Then award a contract to Haliburton to clean up the mess and SCI to remove the body.
My 10 year old daughter is writing a letter to some top political names (again) about what type of person she is going to want working for her and her vote when she is old enough.
All the things that you said, yes, but the most important to me is LIFE experience that at least REMOTELY rsembles that of his or her constituents. What we have right now is a bunch of people running for and holding office who have not a clue what Americans do all day, the choices that face them, the futures they look to, etc. etc. They live in and make decsions for us while lving in an alternate reality.
If I were running for office, for example, I would have to hire staffers familiar with laws and legal-esse, as I am not a lawyer, just as I would have people around me to do other kinds of research, etc. but what, I, the candidate, could offer is an understanding, many understandings actually, from my experience as a single mom, a filer of personal bankruptcy, as an over educated underemplyed person, as an investor, and a chooser of health insurance for my family, as a college student, as waitress, as a Ph.D. (well, not quite there yet…), as an expat (3 different countries), as a teacher and as a student of life.
In the same way that e’s candidate talks about putting the vote to work, I would promise that each time I voted and/or created policy to be voted on, I would remember the people who lives the decision afffects, both short term and long term, and strive to be true to my role as REPRESENTATIVE of the people who entrusted me with thier votes, and the ones who did not, but still look to me to represent them.
Dunno, it ain’t much but I would vote for someone in a heartbeat who I really believed had these kinds of understandings.
I absolutely HATED the way that people ridiculed John Edwards for constantly bringing up the fact that he was the son of a mill worker, and came from a very humble background.
To me, that simple fact would outweight a hundred thousand law degrees.
It’s even more important than being a doctor who is so intelligent, he can diagnose complex medical conditions simply by looking at a videotape.
Your snark is outstanding, my friend, just outstanding. And while I agree with you about the ridiculing of Edwards, it was more the way he said it (IIRC, it was pretty much the same story over and over again) than what it was — he didn’t sell his background as well as he could of during the campaign (especailly after he became Keery’s second), imho.
Thanks…I work hard on the snark, it keeps me sane 🙂
I would like to pick a word out of your post and say that this is part of what frustrates me so much about our political climate (and I’m not attacking you for saying it because you’re totally right, but it is a wonderful example that I couldn’t pass up) :
Isn’t it sad that it has come to that?
We must be riding the same wavelength tonight, because I stopped at that word too, and asked myself if that is really what I meant, and unfortunately, it was…that’s America!
…is there Cracker coming??
😉
No rush, really, just thought I’d ask while I had you here!
I was a bit late in sending it, but you should be getting it tomorrow or Thursday 🙂
It should be getting here just as Rita does — and if it is still 101, I can crank it up and sing at the top of my lungs out ont he back deck!!
Thanks!
What office are you running for? Is your website up yet and can I contribute legally from out of state?
You’re too kind, Andrew!
If I didn’t have little kids and some stuff in my past that in our current political system would completely drown out anything I might have to say or stand for, I would be running for rep or senator right this minute. I have often been known to remark (especilly in the last 5 years), goddman it, I could do better than 9/10ths of these asswipes….
Maybe I’m wrong but I sure would love to try…ain’t never gonna happen though!
Yeah… that’s a problem with a lot of us libruls, we have… umm… colorful… and… interesting… pasts. Makes for great experience and lousy press.
You know… I think a lot of that stuff can be dealt with though as long as it is framed properly so don’t rule yourself out. If a “negative” experience can be turned into a policy discussion from the voice of experience and it is not something hidden away, covered up, or lied about then it can be dealt with.
Give it some thought.
Just become a ‘born again’ Christian. That seems to be quite the salve for scrubbing the past clean.
Plus, you’d surely behave in a more Christian-like manner than our current leader, regardless of your actual beliefs.
You know I’m playing but — eeeeeewwwww. Just the thought makes me want to rip my hair out and scream!
And that is why Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland is so cool. She started out as a social worker, helping people in the city, then became an activist, opposing the building of a freeway through her historic neighborhood in Baltimore. From there she was elected to the City Council, then Congress, and then the Senate. She’s never forgotten growing up in a blue-collar working neighborhood — in fact, she still lives there.
(Actually, our retiring Senator Sarbanes has a pretty good background too — we’ve been very lucky in our Senators in Maryland. Crossing my fingers for the next time around….)
So there ARE Senators and Congressmen who know what it’s like to be a working American, worrying about jobs, healthcare, education, taking care of families, supporting aging parents, paying the mortgage — all those things. I suspect most of them are Democrats, though…
I had never heard of her — I’ll keep an eye out for her — how long has she been senator? Do you remember what kind of role her background played in her campaign?
Who will be running for Sarbanes’ seat?
Am I naive? I work regularly with a couple of locally elected officials who do this. And they amaze me and make me proud.
It’s hard to say exactly what experiences will result in a good politician. There are probably many different roads one could follow. Frankly though, it may be that personal qualities are what will make the difference. I know that I’m entering the realm of fantasy here, but I’d like to see someone interested in doing the job well and not just looking out for his own best interests. I’d like to see someone who has convictions and is prepared to stand by them. Someone who genuinely wants the best for our country and for our citizens. And someone who will do what it takes to get that result. Like I said, the realm of fantasy.
I want problem solvers. People that can analyze and get to the root causes and not just the surface problem. Long term fixes and not just bandaids. Bandaids are often necessary in problem solving but only to buy you the time to fix the real problem.
They also need to be good judges of character. Congress moves fast and they need to be able to hand things off to staff that they can trust. The staff needs to be problem solvers too… at least some of them do. The congress person is not going to have the time to sit and analyze everything in detail enough to do it all themselves they’ll need to be able to count on their staff.
And yes, they need to be able to work with people. Not just their staff and their local parties and people in their districts but the rest of congress. They need to know how to compromise and they need to know what not to compromise. They need to know how to build momentum and they need to know how to step back in order to keep perspective of what they are trying to accomplish in the long run.
how about someone who promises to read all legislation and vote against anything they haven’t had time to read: even a bill against clubbing baby seals to death with the craniums of kittens.
Well now… let’s not take this too far. You want them actually read the legislation before voting on it?
What are you? Some kinda commie?
I do think some basic literacy skills are called for however… or at least… someone on staff that can read and write and perhaps even speak in complete sentences wouldn’t hurt.
would ever let such a bill (protecting cats) to the floor anyway…
Well now, I didn’t see anything in that legislation that outlawed using cats wrapped in firecrackers as a method for keeping those people from New Orleans from returning before we can urban renewal their homes into nice white… er… ummm… middle class neighborhoods.
What…… no advice from anyone???
I think you should run instead of him 🙂
Hee-hee. I meant other advice 😉
Well, I guess I would say this (and take it with a grain of salt, since I’ve never worked on any campaign).
I tend to be pretty optimistic about people; most of the issues you raise with this candidate could easily be explained by his noob-ness to the political scene. If you think the guy is genuine, maybe he’s worth working for to get into office.
Also, you could try to get into contact with whoever is in charge (or one of the minions) of the Dean 50 States campaign, and see if you can get some help from them. It sounds like your area is exactly the kind of place that could, at least, be used to suck up some Republican resources (and yes, I know it’s crappy to have to look at it that way, but here we are).
It also seems that you are in a position of some power, if they are really trying hard to get you back. You’ve obviously got a good analytical view of what is going on, and if they want you back, you should use their need for your help as a bartering tool to have even more influence.
You could be his Karl Rove (except without the infant eating).
If you really wanted to solve problems, you’d select engineers who agree with your broad political philosophy.
But in reality, professional politicians start off as high school class presidents, and are elected because of their ability to raise money, look nice, speak in public, and be friendly–in that order. Competence is waaay down on the list.
Did you vote for the dorky chemistry major for class president? Nope, you voted for the head of the cheerleading squad. Surprise! That’s what you have for a president!
was the front man for a Who cover band and quite the stoner, and threw excellent parties in his parents’ house on a regular basis — though he also had been active in student ‘governance’ for a while….I never voted in those things — popularity contests pretty much….oh, wait so is politics!
😉
If a polity wishes to move toward democracy and legitimate statehood.
If the polity contains humans, it might not be entirely foolish to consider a humanitarian.
Someone who’s seen the Prison system from the inside.
I’ve only spent two night in jail — two different jails, but both in Texas (go figure) but that was enough of an experience for me….