Why don't you run for public office?

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: Michael
I'm not an American citizen yet so I am not eligible.

Since I'll be living in Singapore in a month or so, it'll be a little while before I could.

Michael

The Nation that you are a citizen of then.. why don't you run for public office in that Country? OK, Cuz you want to be a citizen of this one... and when you are a citizen don't you think you'd do nicely in office.. I think you would.. I don't agree with alot you say but, at least I think you'd not comprimise your values ... the ones that got you elected or appointed..

 

[AnImuS]

I'm not white

 

[Michael]

Lunar Ray - I had considered getting more invloved in politics in Canada before I left. As an English speaker from a very French suburb of Montreal I would have had a hard time getting elected. The ironic part is that I voted "Liberal" in provincial elections and yet i doubt that many people here would consider me to be one.

Michael

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: Michael
Lunar Ray - I had considered getting more invloved in politics in Canada before I left. As an English speaker from a very French suburb of Montreal I would have had a hard time getting elected. The ironic part is that I voted "Liberal" in provincial elections and yet i doubt that many people here would consider me to be one.

Michael

I don't know about that.. It depends on the issue, I think. Jerry Brown was thought to be a left wing extremist but, he was more moderate than many. More practical might be the better word.
Sorta like the homeless issue. I think both sides would like to solve the issue but, how they go about it is the difference. It all boils down to the ways and means... money and who pays.. Feeding them and housing them is the only 'Christian' thing to do..
I only fully support folks who will vote as they profess and not waffle. I hate it when they do that. If someone is against abortion say that and if elected vote that way. All this obfuscating to get elected and all the games to get re elected is what sickens me. You never really know what the candidate will do when in office.. the hidden agenda..
So... he who speaks out and firmly states his or her position will get my vote over someone who hints toward my position but, with out a firm solid unequivocal statement as such..

 

[jackschmittusa]

I could never be elected because I would have trouble being PC all the time. I'd call um like I see um. And compromise has a pretty distorted meaning in politics today. I usually means "I'll vote/support your bill/position if you support mine". I would not damage my integrety to support a bad bill/position in exchange for favors. Campain contributers would be told to expect nothing in return for their money except that I would perform my elected position with honesty and to the best of my ability. This would make me pretty un-electable as major monetary contributers expect a return on their investment, and even my own party would declare that I am not a team player (like that is a bad thing). And screw the party's best interest, forget about spin to control damage, If I made a mistake or misjudgement, I would come right out and say it; assure the public that the decision/action was based on the best information I had at the time; and take corrective action. Even if I were to be elected, I doubt I'd be effective as I would receive little or no cooperation from any other politicians as punishment for not playing the long established game.

The movie made Mr. Smith a hero. I don't think it would work that way in real life.

 

[wkabel23]

I live in Arkansas.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: AnImuS
I'm not white

I'm not a turnip but that wouldn't stop me from toiling in the garden. I'm lazy... and determined to stay that way... that is what allows the weeds to grow. Go pluck some weeds and plant a rose... maybe folks will look at the color of the flower and not the color of the gardener.

 

[AnImuS]

Originally posted by: LunarRay

Originally posted by: AnImuS
I'm not white

I'm not a turnip but that wouldn't stop me from toiling in the garden. I'm lazy... and determined to stay that way... that is what allows the weeds to grow. Go pluck some weeds and plant a rose... maybe folks will look at the color of the flower and not the color of the gardener.

they won't. its not time yet.

 

[Train]

Originally posted by: AnImuS
I'm not white

With that attitude, you wont be anything.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: AnImuS

Originally posted by: LunarRay

Originally posted by: AnImuS
I'm not white

I'm not a turnip but that wouldn't stop me from toiling in the garden. I'm lazy... and determined to stay that way... that is what allows the weeds to grow. Go pluck some weeds and plant a rose... maybe folks will look at the color of the flower and not the color of the gardener.

they won't. its not time yet.

Well.. my grandson is half Peruvian... an Inca Irishman.. He won't stand by and let folks judge his character by the fact that he's half Irish..

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I don't really think I'm qualified. The only elected office I can imagine holding would be a judgeship.

 

[Kipper]

Because I'm not a tool.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito
I don't really think I'm qualified. The only elected office I can imagine holding would be a judgeship.

Good grief man.... If you feel you possess the qualities to be an effective Judge then you'd more than be qualified to hold elective or appointed office. Judge Murphy is now Mayor of San Diego. So at least one such person has made the transition. The primary quality, I think, is honesty. To be able to lead or represent the people in the manner they deserve. It don't matter your politics... half the people won't agree with them anyhow. Few are able to hold power and temper it with responsibility... who better than a Judge or Judge aspirant to do this? If you love and defend the 'Rule of Law' regardless of any temptation to twist it or apply it inappropriately then you most defiantly are a person for 'office'.
We do need good Judges and DA's and US Attorneys and folks who fit that niche. I view that as representing the 'State'... or the people in general and that should be seen as no different than any other 'office'.

 

[Dissipate]

Why won't I ever run for office? Simple. I'm a libertarian and becoming a bureaucrat in order to reduce government is absurd.

As Lew Rockwell says:

To become a bureaucrat to fight bureaucracy, to join the state in order to roll it back, makes as much sense as fighting fire with matches and gasoline.

Furthermore, being ia politician is patently fraudulent. In NO other profession can one claim to represent numerous mutually exclusive interests. If you are a lawyer you fight for your client, if you are a security guard you guard whoever is paying you to guard, if you are a real estate agent you don't ever try to get the lowest possible price for people selling their home.

In politics for some reason we make a huge exception to this rule. We "elect" people to office who supposedly represent an entire geographic area. This is impossible, because there are numerous mutually exclusive views on government within any constituency.

How has government dealt with this problem? It has attempted to do the impossible: be all things to all people. In doing so it has created an abomidable situation, abomidable to the tune of $2.4 Trillion a year, plus another $900 billion in costs relating to interventionist rules and regulations.

One of my relatives holds public office at the national level, and I am sad to say that I do not support him.

 

[biostud]

Heh, I like the idea that only rich people can be elected. It really proves the greatness of democracy.

 

[Macro2]

My skin isn't that thick....

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: biostud666
Heh, I like the idea that only rich people can be elected. It really proves the greatness of democracy.

That is completely untrue. You just have to be able to raise the money, you don't have to spend your own.

 

[Rainsford]

Why don't I run? Simple. Being that we are in a democracy, the lowest common denominator rules. Truly useful and revolutionary ideas will never get anyone into office. Instead, a "good" candidate must have the most vanilla ideas and views in order to be accepted by enough people. This isn't always a bad thing, because it keeps total goobers out of office (more or less), but it also keeps out people with really GOOD ideas.

Trying to get elected to make big changes is exactly what our system prevents, for better or worse.

 

[judasmachine]

Have you guys even checked the rules for getting on most state's ballots it's out of reach for most. But the reason I don't run is: It's not that power corrupts, but power attracts the corruptable.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: biostud666
Heh, I like the idea that only rich people can be elected. It really proves the greatness of democracy.

That is completely untrue. You just have to be able to raise the money, you don't have to spend your own.

I have a problem getting people to just give me money

 

[judasmachine]

Our intelligencia has never ran for office. I don't know why other than they see the futility before they waste the time. Historically speaking, our intelligencia RARELY ran for office.

Carter - Not our intelligencia
Reagen - Not our intelligencia
Bush (both) - Not our intelligencia
Clinton - A sharp guy but not our intelligencia


These are our ambitious bastards, not our smartest.