What prevents you from running for elected office?

[Generic Brad]

I have three very specific reasons.

1) My spouse is a foreign national and has decided not to become a naturalized citizen. She has become increasingly concerned over the years that this country is heading towards fascism and she has maintained her legal immigrant status so we could legally escape to her country if we had no other options. I suspect there will always be a faction of voters who would frown on that kind of thinking.

2) I have not spoken to anyone in my family in over a year. They are right wing Christians who kicked me out of the family because I a) would not dump my wife, b) I left their church and c) I refused to pledge blind allegiance to the GOP or recognize that it was God's chosen party. A Rovian operative would have a field day in revealing that I am heartless towards members of my own family. If I ran for any office, I have no doubt that my birth family would aid the GOP in smearing me because they sincerely believe I belong to the party of baby killers.

3) I really am not too keen on the thought of having to bring my family differences into a public arena that can be spun towards whichever campaign that has the most money. Although I am very principled, on the surface it could appear that I am the exact opposite. Plus, my peeps here would learn how bigoted my family is and it is far more embarrassing than I have stated here.

What is keeping the rest of you from running from an elected office?

[Gman]

1. Been there, done that

quite a few years ago. City Council.

[TexasLawyer]

2. Anyone who watches "Bush's Brain"

will get a lesson on why you should not go into politics unless you can stomach it.

Expecially down here in Texas, it is like walking into a buzzsaw. I would not do that to myself. I will work for others who run, but I am not wired for politics myself.

[tularetom]

3. I'm an opinionated old fart and nobody'd vote for me

I spent 35 years as a local government bureaucrat, many of them as an appointed department head which meant I could be shit canned at any time by a majority vote of my bosses (elected officials). In my younger years I pretty much kept my opinions to myself (I had a family to raise and lots of bills) but as I approached retirement age I became more and more outspoken. I was amazed that my bosses left me alone because I was quite open in my criticism. On the other hand I had been around longer than any of them and knew where the bodies were buried. I'm now 65 years old and have no desire to kiss anybody's ass for any reason whatsoever and I've had a front row seat at local politics and it isn't for me.

[Stephanie]

4. I don't think those are good reasons.

I don't think they would be at issue unless you were running for very high office and there were teams of oppo people looking for ways to bring you down. I think in an ordinary race, local office - even statewide office - no one would bother to exploit those issues.

[Generic Brad]

5. Of course, posting regularly here is fodder for the crazy right

But it would give me street credibility here.

[Stardust]

6. Votes for me would run in the negative numbers...very embarassing.

Kudos to those who do although I suspect many of them don't have the best motives.

[benddem]

7. I ran for state senate

did it mostly cause the repug was running with no opposition. My friends, cousins, vietnam buddies contributed money without my asking...and I thought things were going to be easy, but I'd sit there day after day with the list of people to call and ask for money and couldn't do it. My brother just ran for state rep. and did really well in spite of the fact he had no money. Maybe we should learn to grovel. There has to be a better way. He was beaten by a guy that had tobacco, alcohol, timber, builder etc etc money...but he still came close. If he could have advertised we'd have had a better result.

[readmoreoften]

8. Alot. /nt

[Sapphocrat]

9. I'm gay. n/t

[immerlinks]

20. So you're gay

That's not a negative, that's a positive. We need more gay's in public office. I'm not gay myself, but I think gay's are very unrepresented in government and we should work to remedy that.

[Sapphocrat]

25. I agree.

But being gay slashes my electibility factor by half.

That's not defeatism talking, honest. With three notable exceptions in the House (Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, and the involuntarily-outed Jim Kolbe), gay folks are pretty damaged goods these days.

So, I'll just continue to mouth off at city council meetings. As my grandmother used to say: "The world needs ditch-diggers, too."

[immerlinks]

42. Don't sell yourself short

Somebody has to change the paradigm, why not you?

[alittlelark]

10. Bartended my way through college (w/a 3.7)

High profile drug use (pot and a little coke) in the 90's. Meaning that MANY ppl parties w/ my gang

Atheism - enough said.

[Generic Brad]

15. I hear you on the atheism

I would say I am more agnostic. But obviously any religion that is not "in your face" Christian is practically the kiss of death to a campaign.

[alittlelark]

19. Sad but true. It will take an ET landing here to eradicate

the FEAR of the Atheist. Then they will just fear the ET and cling to the last shreds of their beliefs until they fall into cognitive dissonance.

[neebob]

32. I think most people would just go,

"Oh, well I guess God made the ETs, too" - especially if they weren't terribly ugly or hostile.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

47. Did you see Richard Dawkins on CSPAN yesterday?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2683524&mesg_id=2683963

it replays tonight at 7pm est.

I have to watch it again, the Q&A was outstanding.

[Ringo84]

11. Several reasons:

1. Money. I'm a poor, down-and-out college student.
2. Age. I'm only 22 1/2. They don't elect into office twentysomethings with no political experience.
3. I'm not outgoing enough
4. I'm too much of a hothead (some of you might have seen how antagonistic I can occasionally become). I'd lose my temper and cost myself lots of political points.
5. I'm too thin-skinned to handle the inevitable mud-slinging and insults that come with running for office.
5. I'm not really interested in running. I don't care to have my name run through the mud and have to spend so much time in the limelight. I don't like having attention drawn to myself too much. I had enough of that as a kid.
Ringo

[Blue Belle]

12. My past...

I've had a DUI and my credit hasn't always been perfect.

Otherwise, I would love to run...

[porphyrian]

13. I don't want to do that to my friends and family.

Also, I've done too many drugs to make it to a primary vote without being assassinated in the media. Although, in some circles, that might prompt a cult following...

[PassingFair]

14. A to the T to the E to the IST..

So sorry for your upbringing, Brad.

You seem to have done SO VERY WELL in spite of it all.

I am PROUD of you. Your wife must be a very special woman!

I think you SHOULD run. You have overcome great adversity.

You would be a NATURAL!

[LeighAnn]

16. Time

The bulk of my electorate is still in "Head Start" (if they have that anymore). Ima be the oldest woman in the Senate.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

48. ...

:applause:

[Chovexani]

17. Oh, let's see

I'm an angry black poly Pagan dyke with a lot of embarrassing photos on the internets (none of them are nude, but they do tend to involve things like elf ears and State Alchemist uniforms).

I'm also a Mac user. :P

[TheBaldyMan]

18. you got my vote - run as an extremely independant candidate

[immerlinks]

21. White Male

Too many already in office. Need women, minorities and homosexuals to balance government out. Maybe we should have a moratorium on white men running for offices for a few elections, get some diversity in government.

[OneBlueSky]

22. a strong disinclination to prostitute myself to get elected . . .

beside, I'm 60 years old, gay, and disabled . . . and have neither the time, the stamina, nor the interest to run for anything . . .

[upi402]

23. money money money

it buys ads, and people are easy to fool.

i respect you position. i don't have any suggestions but wish you well.

[Hekate]

24. I can never remember people's names, & my religious affiliation is a Goddess Circle

Oh well. That and some people think my PhD in Mythological Studies is kinda weird.

However, I have served on a County Commission. I was an Affirmative Action Commissioner for almost 12 years, and was chair for several of those.

In the right circumstances, my religion could be overlooked -- especially if I started going back the Unitarians so I'd have a "church" -- but my chronic inability to place people is a real drawback to elective office and I am acutely aware of that.

Hekate

[leftofthedial]

26. self respect

lack of patience for stupid people

my, umm, past

[Viva_La_Revolution]

49. ditto!

:rofl:

[Retired AF Dem]

27. Money

[Selatius]

28. I'm a Deist. Not a Christian who believes in the divinity of Jesus.

I think I just lost 60 percent of the vote right there.

[Boojatta]

39. That's why George Washington, John Adams, and Ben Franklin stayed out of politics

[adadem]

29. Same as your 2 & 3

plus I'm agnostic...wouldn't fly in the Calvinist town I live in.

[neebob]

30. Well, besides a good number of things

I don't feel obligated to enumerate, my ego isn't quite big enough. And I wouldn't be able to say straight faced that I'm doing it to protect our values or whatever.

[jgraz]

31. I can't stand stupid people

Apparently you need to deal with them a lot in government.

[sandnsea]

33. "Think you fuckwit" would be my campaign slogan

I don't think that's the way to win over voters. :P

[LWolf]

34. I'm not good political material. Some reasons:

1. The need to work a full-time, life-stealing job to keep a roof over everyone's head, clothing, food, etc..

2. The nauseating political process, which includes campaigning: appearance over substance.

3. The independent part of me that really doesn't give a shit what everyone else wants. I'm not good at collaboration. I do fine on my own, and am impatient, and less than gracious, when others stick their 2 cents into a project with my name on it. How well would that go over in government?

4. The loner part of me that is sucked dry of energy and inspiration by sharing space and air with others; the part of me that needs large amounts of silence and large spaces empty of people around me to feel healthy, and to get anything constructive done.

If I ran for office, I'd hand the public all my bills to pay, and my campaign slogan would be: "What you see and hear is what you get. No spin. Principles before party, political career, or voter's opinions."

[LizW]

35. I live in the reddest district in the U.S. outside of Texas.

:(

I couldn't get elected dog-catcher.

[Delphinus]

36. Hmm ...

Money. Takes a ton of money to run for office.

I'm not a Christian. Don't tell me it doesn't make a difference - maybe it doesn't where you live, but it certainly does here.

I don't like to lie - to get into office in this area, you have to lie. Honest, clean campaigns don't work.

Those are starters ... I'm sure there are a lot of other reasons.

(edit to fix spelling booboo)

[rpgamerd00d]

37. It doesn't pay enough at the local level.

And of course, its very unstable.

[Pool Hall Ace]

38. I'm childfree, and I didn't marry until the age of 42.

I'm sure voters would question that.

I'm not religious.

I have a low tolerance for stupidity.

I don't have enough money.

[Hubert Flottz]

40. Too crazy!

Too smart!

Edit...Ticker is about shot!

[demgurl]

41. First and foremost are my children.

They are young and the little ones grow up way to quickly. I want to spend as much time as possible with them.

Then there is my family situation. I know press and opponents would have a field day with all of the skeletons in my closet even though they are really on the part of my family rather than me. I am sure the restraining order put out on my father is in the public records. The fact that he was the one beating up his pregnant daughter I am sure would be twisted.

Then there is the lawsuit against my mother. Yes, the family started it before I did. Yes, 15 members hired a lawyer against my mom. And, yes, they did have to go through a lot to try and track me down to join the suit. I am sure that all would not matter since they have since settled and I am the only one left in the suit.

I do not think it would bode well for a candidate if both of their parents were more than willing to speak out against them even if it was all lies.

I guess the simple answer is that I am not running because I do not think the truth matters much any more. People used to give you the benefit of the doubt and hear you out. Now they smell a bit of blood in the water and they want more.

[shadowknows69]

43. Lack of 100 million dollars

If I could afford ad time you'd never shut me up.

[cool user name]

44. Skeletons in my closet ... n/t

[rockymountaindem]

45. I'm not old enough n/t

[ck4829]

46. 1. Not old enough 2. Socialist 3. Muslim 4. Fiancee is from Somalia

I'm pretty sure that I am unelectable, I would like to be, but I'm just being realistic.

[Maestro]

50. I don't have a squeaky clean past and I do not wish

to have it dragged out in the public eye even though I believe I would do a much better job than the majority of politicians. I also speak very directly so I would probably end up angering too many.

[alcibiades_mystery]

51. Porn addiction?

:shrug:

:crazy:

[Vanje]

52. I'm poor

I'm a little bit shy.
I'm a little bit agoraphobic.
i snorted coke once in the eighties.
I'm a red state lesbian
When I get excited, I hollar "fuck."

on edit; I get excited a lot!

[judaspriestess]

53. I would love to run for office

I am in sales so I can work the public quite well and asking for the sale/money is not an issue. BUT, they would attack me for my personal life. I used to be a topless dancer :D I love heavy metal (slayer,napalm death- example), very unchristian of me. I rebelled against paying taxes for a couple of years (I'm paying it back). Basically I'd be a "scandal" on parade for them.
I think I would work behind the scenes also. The bottom line is that I am a good person, have no criminal record. I am proud of who I am and I try to volunteer and give back to the community. I think my lil wild streak would freak someone out, you know the hypocrites like the holier than thou repukes.

[davsand]

54. Holding office is not for everyone.

I hold a County-wide office currently, however it is by appointment. I'm gonna tell you a little bit about my world, and then I want you to think about is this anything you are ok with...

Standing for election or even holding public office opens up all kinds of investigation into your world along with public discussion of your life. ANYBODY that runs has got to know that, and they ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILY have got to be prepared for that.

I don't mind so much that my finances are open to inspection, nor do I care that people look at my personal history. However, I do flinch a bit when a taxpayer calls me at my home.

I am acutely aware of the fact that my family could be impacted by my day job, and I do NOT like that at all. Imagine, if you will, the feeling that your kids, your partner, or even your parents could be hurt by your decision to hold office.

My husband had a few people comment recently that they'd seen me in the newspapers. Luckily, I was not saying anything too controversial, but people are asking my husband about stuff I'm saying, and THAT goes with the turf. A lot of people are turned off the idea of holding office because of that kind of stuff.

It isn't for the fainthearted, nor do I think that the "best" people choose to run. I know a lot of people that would be excellent public servants but they are too private to deal with it or maybe their family is not supportive of it.

Regards!


Laura

[agentkgb]

55. I'm a Student

But I don't think I'd run anyway, I don't have the money and public speaking isn't my thing.

[Blue_Tires]

56. plenty

1. not a christian
2. no money
3. my views are to the left of Indiana Green
4. the party would neve back me (no chance of winning a purplish state)
5. one word: EX-girlfriends

[alfredo]

57. I like being the king maker, not the king.

To refute 1 and 2. 3 is the deal breaker:

1. She is your wife, not your slave. She has the freedom to choose.

2. They didn't accept your wife and you didn't want to go to a church that put politics above saving souls.

3. As good a reason for not running.


My past is so lurid I couldn't get elected dog catcher. I'm an Atheist.

[MattSh]

58. Two reasons.

I just hate brown-nosing people for money. That's the bottom line, ain't it?

The TV camera's would catch me foaming at the mouth in anger almost daily.