Monday, September 1, 2008

Best post I’ve read about the issue of experience in this presidential campaign...

From Tertium Quids

This is true. If we wish to compare political resumes, Sen. Obama's is Chester A. Arthur-thin (though Arthur turned out to be a dedicated reformer who turned against his political patrons). And the attacks on Palin could very quickly put the Democrats in the double standard trap, not to mention opening them to charges of sexism.

Personally, I tend to look upon those with life-long political resumes with suspicion. Have they done nothing else with their lives besides eat rubber chicken and kiss babies (and chase earmarks)? If anything, political experience is often the last characteristic we should look for in a president. Some of the best had very little at all -- Lincoln had but a single House term under his belt yet managed to navigate the nation through its greatest crisis. It was Jefferson Davis who had the long political career.

2 comments:

James said...

VH-

Exactly the point. Professional career politicians got us to where we are today. Fact is we do not NEED them.

Further it was not the intent of the founders that government be composed of professional career politicians. The concept was to promote citizen legislators.

VH said...

Historian-
You hit the nail on the head-I've always thought that experience, while important, was being too heavily weighted.