What does it say about Americans, that we would rather have Hollywood actors and Saturday Night Live Comedians than educated political scientists with degrees in Constitutional Law and Political Science? In Minnesota's particular case they would even have professional wrestler Jesse Ventura.
It is my feeling that the average American does not trust the people that are running this country. We want to elect people that we trust, rather than someone trained in the intricacies of government. Why do we feel so helpless? Why do we feel that we are the only ones that can see who should run the country? Why is it that we are the only ones that can see that our politicians are bought-out by the ultra-rich and the major corporations?
Why are the other voters so easily persuaded to vote for the wrong person, when it is so obvious to us who should be running our country? Do they vote for the wrong people because they are to lazy to educate themselves? Can’t they see how wrong they are? We feel that it is unfair for idiots to be electing our leaders. They should start paying attention.
I’ve often asked people, who’s wisdom that I admired, why didn’t they run for office. Often their answer was something like; “Are you kidding? The press would make mincemeat out of me. I’ve told racist and sexist stories, I’ve been married two times. I have a kid in jail. “ Etc. Eventually you end up realizing that a person that has made a few mistakes, and has a little experience with life, would be disqualified by the press.
As we research why people don’t run, it becomes apparent that Mainstream Media decides who is fit for office and who isn’t. The over pompous news jock can lay a few sentences out there and destroy the average persons political career. Only the people with major wealth can counter what the press has to say. So that means that a candidate must be backed by major wealth, or be well enough known that you might not believe what mainstream media might say about them. So actor and comedians have a chance, because people feel that they know them, and can trust them more than what is being said about them. Has the country realy come down to this?
It looks like if you want to have a political career nowadays you would be better off the start out as an actor, or a comedian, to build some credibility.
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15 comments:
Welcome to modern day America.
Politics is now about popularity, not on ability to do the job.
I firmly believe that applies to local politics, too.
Good post Ernie, my feelings exactly.
Oregon
I've said before that the blog sites are a good place to start taking America back. You can get a good feeling of what America is really about, including the nuts the cranks and the idiots.
Good honest people can rise and shine above on the blog sites, say what they thing and what they feel. They can express themselves anonymously and with little fear of exposure. Sometimes blogs can release crazy people into the mixture, but even that forces you to use your own head and cause you to think about things, knowing full well that anything that is said on a blog site could be a lie or a deception.
I’m tired of the wealthy CEO’s and politicians selling our industries to foreign countries with “cheap labor”. If all of our industries were still in America, the “common laborer” could be making almost as much as the executives. The truth in what I say is proven, just look at the fifties and the sixties, where everybody had a good job and Momma didn’t have to work.
If there was an honest balance of trade with foreign countries; where “dollars out” had to equal “dollars in”, our industries would still be alive. The Americans are being fleeced like sheep.
If you think that I’m wrong, look around America. Are the average workers doing as well as they did? Where is the lumber industry? Do you realize that our forests were stripped and sold at a discount to foreign countries? Do you think that the oil that Americans developed in the Arab counties is being sold to us at a discount? Where is the fairness? Does the American worker have to suffer all the losses, while the American CEO gets to reap all the benefits?
Is it fair that the American fisherman have had to suffer seeing foreign boats taking all of the fish off our coasts? Foreign boats, using what ever means at their disposal, and taking all the fish that they catch, while the American fisherman has to play by, sometimes ridiculous, rules?
Do you see the American news services screaming to save America? Or do you see then bowing to the pressures of The Rich to save their jobs?
I think that the blog sites are a good place to start a dialog on America.
I get what you're saying about modern politics and actors Ernie. I'm afraid it happened a long time ago, and has now become obvious. Al Franken doesn't exactly fit the stereotype, thankfully. He's just extremely passionate, informed, and patriotic. It would be true comedy if he got into The Big Club.
I believe that Franken is pretty well educated actually.He's too much of a Clintonite for my liking,but he does have an educated background regardless.
Al Franken Has worked as a political pundit on Air America and has written many politcal books. He was a writer for Saturday Night Live. I have the utmost respect for him and support his bid for political office. Go Al!
I probably trust Al Franken more than the average Politician, but I would like to hear if he is more concerned about the stock market doing well, or the average working American.
Remember when the American Farm family was the "Backbone of America"? Now it is the Corporate CEO.
Ernie... Did the Republicans start this with Reagan? Was Arnie more qualified than Ventura? I certainly agree with a great deal of what you are saying. Even John McCain seems to have forgotten his passion for campaign finance reform. My cousin was an American Express middle management person. They sent her to India to set up the phone banks that would offshore customer service. When she came home, they offshored her job and she was out of work. She certainly did not expect it and was quite angry. She had done such a good job. We're in for a tough summer, I'm not seeing many RVs but maybe all the festivals will pull us through.
I don't think that our politicians really represent what the average American wants. There are just to many people struggling to provide for their families.
We try to vote for people that we can identify with. Ones that we think that we can trust, but it seems like as soon as they are in office they start acting like a regular politician. Someone gets to them, and explains that if they want to achieve anything that they had better tow the line, and they do.
Charisma seems to be the most salient quality which we require from our political candidates.
Ronald Reagan had it. Michael Dukakis didn't.
Lincoln wouldn't stand a chance of being elected now-a-days.
Ernie, Al is on the side of the average American citizen. I have a couple of his books, if you would like to borrow them. He has been motivated to run for office since the tragic death of his friend, Senator Paul Wellstone.
Politics in America for as long as I can remember has always been about power, influence and above all MONEY. The people who support the "business as usual" crew running our country identify with them because they want power, influence and money, too, regardless of the fact that the majority will never enjoy those fruits.
McKris
Ernie - I don't disagree with your overall point, and I'm not certain Franken is the best choice for Senate as much as I love his commentary and his comedy.
But he is more than just a comedian. He is very knowledgeable and thoughtful about the issues, with considerable depth on a wide range of topics.
I just don't know if he can build a consensus as a politician.
While quickly scrolling through the pages of your blog, I came upon the picture of Al Franken &, holy crap, at first glance I thought it was Tim Stoen! Scared me more than your snake & spider pictures, Ernie!
Ernie, I like the general tenor of your comments here. But I must point out that many people who are certifiably crazy, like me, also write some damn fine comments on these and other blog pages. I will acknowledge, to be fair, that I've been diagnosed and treated, and I take my meds regularly. Maybe that's what separates the sensible posts of this particular nut from the rants and abusive screeds of those other crazy characters.
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