Career Politicians vs CEOs Who Go In For The Dictatorship Thing

I was on the phone with a campaign a few minutes ago. They were looking for an endorsement for their not very progressive candidate from Blue America. They saw I had been tearing into their pinhead opponent and was hoping John, Digby and I would help them with their messaging and fundraising. But the more they told me about the candidate-- who, they bragged, had now "come along to a point" where he might be able to support EFCA, for example-- the more turned off I became. The last straw was when they told me how wealthy he is. Just what we need polluting the Democratic Party, more rich businessmen with no empathy for working people! I hung up. And then I got this post from Dave Sherbula who's up in Paul Ryan's uncontested blue district.

There is an argument that is popular with teabaggers and wannabe politicians. It goes, "I am not part of the political establishment. I am not a career politician. Trust me, because I am a successful business owner and can run government better."

That's not much of a sales pitch. As much as they proclaim they do not want to be a career politician, that is exactly want they want to be. They are bold faced lairs. If you don't t want to be a career politician don't run for office. You are obviously lacking the convictions of your beliefs to fight for what you think is right.

I believe company owners are uniquely unqualified to hold any elected position. Why, you may ask-- perhaps not having paid attention the political charades by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mitt Romney?

Because they have the mindset of making all the decisions. No compromise. No discussion. My way or the highway. Sound like Meg Whitman? Carly Fiorina? Ron Johnson? Rick Scott? Linda McMahon? All of the above? And then there's Joe Miller...   

I would argue career politicians are a good thing. If they are honest, vote for their constituents  beliefs and are not beholding to special interests.

Politics is complicated. I can't claim to understand the byzantine rules they use. If you want to get something through the process of getting a law passed, you need someone who dedicates his or her life to it.

The late Senator's Kennedy and Byrd come to mind.

I think the easiest way to get a grasp of this concept is, if you had a brain tumor, would you want some surgeon with 20 years of experience operating on you? Or would you rather have someone with no experience, but thinks he knows a better way cutting into your brain?

I think most people would go with the experienced surgeons, if they trusted them, believed in them and checked their record.

We have a large number of new candidates this season. We are the patients who need to carefully evaluate them. Some incumbents deserve to stay, some deserve to go.

But not being a politician does not seem to me to be a very good qualification to be one. 

I want to know if you are going to vote for my beliefs if I vote you into (or back into) office...