Recently in Politics Category

There was one time in my life that I seriously considered running for elective office.  It was 1976 and I was living in Napa, California.  I decided to run for a spot on the local water district board.  Why I chose that particular position to launch a possible political career I don't know, maybe it seemed less intimidating than a city council seat or the office of the Mayor.

At the time it really didn't seem to bother me that I was only 21 years old, completely unknown in my home town, had no life experience to speak of, no public service experience, completely broke and unemployed, and wasn't even registered to vote.  Despite these small negatives I spent two months mapping out strategy and creating lists of people and businesses that I could depend on as donors.  I went to city hall, filled out the proper paperwork, paid the fee, and even borrowed $500 from a friend to sit on my butt for two months thinking up a game plan.

To make a long story short my campaign for public office never even made it out the front door of my apartment.  Four candidates, including myself, were listed on the ballot for that particular water district.  One month after the election I went to city hall and found out that I had received a wopping nine votes.  The winner and two runner ups received thousands of votes more than I could ever hope for.  Of the nine votes cast in my favor, six of them I already knew but the other three were mysterious unknowns.  It made me feel rather proud that I had a constituency of nine people in Napa and I never even had to take a bribe, kiss a baby, shake a hand, or tell a lie to win their support.  What politician today can claim such a feat?

Looking at the current 2008 Democratic Presidential primary, it never ceases to amaze me just how much of a big ego, psychological cunning, personal deviousness, and physical stamina one needs to run for elective office, especially for the Office of the Presidency of the United States.  I came across a cute but sad cartoon on the Internet during the 2004 Democratic primary that showed all the candidates marching single file into a meat grinder and coming out the other end completely unrecognizable for better or for worse.  This is probably why most of those who do run for the Unted States Presidency say that it is a "life changing experience."  And it is probably why that thousands of the most gifted and qualified never run for office.

I must say that I have nothing but respect (and a little bit of sadness) for anybody who runs for the Presidency of the United States of America.  I could never do it in my wildest dreams, even if Microsoft mogel Bill Gates offered me a check for one billion dollars.