Elected Position

[Johnnysan]

I served eighteen months of a two-year elected term as a city alderman (geesh...that makes it sound like a prison sentence! Coincidence? Read on...)

Although I pride myself to sticking to something once I've committed, my brief experience convinced me that politics was not for me. First, as others have said, be prepared to spend a LOT of time at your position if you want to be even remotely effective. Between regular meetings, budget meetings, committee assignments, contract negotiations, constituent calls at all hours and just trying to educate yourself on the many facets of governmental operations, you can quickly find yourself handling two full-time jobs and spending a lot less time with your family and attending to the day-to-day necessities.

The reason that I finally threw in the towel was despite all of the demands on my time and all of the effort, the council I served on lacked the political will to make tough decisions and move the community that we had pledged to serve in a positive direction. Hours and hours of meetings, discussions and arguments followed by hours and hours of additional research leading to complete gridlock.

Granted, everyone's mileage may vary, but following many discussions that I've had with other elected officials from every level of state and local government, I've found that this is an all-too-common experience.

At it's best, public service is admirable and noble. Unfortunately, the toll it often takes on those who aspire to these higher virtues is great. In the end, my service required more of me than I was willing to sacrifice in my personal life for a community that was largely apathetic.

Good luck and good thread!

 

[scotrace]

.

That's the thing.
Hours and hours and hours of meetings - which often as not lead nowhere. In the private sector, one is used to getting projects moved ahead at a quick pace. "I need this by next Tuesday." Because if you don't, the company will sink below the waves real fast.
In government, projects take years or decades to get shoved off dead center. The decisions are made by a collection of people who may not know beans about the matters at hand, or who have a private agenda, or a score to settle. Or they just like to talk.... endlessly... but will never sign on to any solid point of view. It can be quite maddening. Few people are prepared for that. They come into it thinking theu're going to get things done (as they should), and hit the brick wall of plodding committee-ism.

But therein lies the opportunity for a truly masterful politician to make a mark and succeed. Americans like to think of themselves as uncompromising, but compromise is the basis of our political system. The person who can bring everyone at the table to a point of agreement will slowly move from city councilman to Senator.

I was involved in more than 50 campaigns at every level over a 15-year career in backroom politics. There's no sport that's more interesting.

But I'm out.

 

[scotrace]

I couldn't bite my tongue any longer.

So you were in for fifteen minutes?

 

[Johnnysan]

In government, projects take years or decades to get shoved off dead center. The decisions are made by a collection of people who may not know beans about the matters at hand, or who have a private agenda, or a score to settle. Or they just like to talk.... endlessly... but will never sign on to any solid point of view. It can be quite maddening. Few people are prepared for that. They come into it thinking theu're going to get things done (as they should), and hit the brick wall of plodding committee-ism.

This paragraph could serve as the epitepth on the tombstone of my political career. lol

But therein lies the opportunity for a truly masterful politician to make a mark and succeed. Americans like to think of themselves as uncompromising, but compromise is the basis of our political system. The person who can bring everyone at the table to a point of agreement will slowly move from city councilman to Senator.

Largely true...but in some cases, even those who are adept at negotiating compromise fail miserably. The community in which I served was small and rural...about 3,500 residents. I was the only councilman who was not a lifer in the community and as a result, came to the council without a personal agenda (save for working toward the long-term betterment of the community)and without a pre-defined set of supporters and detractors.

Although I was viewed by my colleagues on the council as both a mediator and a facilitator, deals that were brokered at the bargaining table fell through when a vote was taken for the public record. When pressed as to why they failed to honor an agreement, the dissenters would cite "numerous" contacts from citizens (who always wished to remain anonymous) in opposition to the whatever plan was being discussed. Amazingly, despite this tidal wave of public sentiment, it was rare for the council to be joined by anyone from the community during our monthly public meetings.

While revenue sources evaporated before our eyes, debts continued to escalate unchecked, my colleagues instead focused their attention on their own pet projects...most of which either involved a) helping a select group of their friends and political supporters or b) screwing over an equally select group of their enemies and political opponents. History does repeat itself...Nero fiddled while Rome burned and the tune still echoes in the halls of government today.

There is a lot of good and admirable work being done every day by those in elected office, but finding the right mix of people who can work together toward common goals can be as tough as transmuting copper into gold. In my experience, the smaller the community, the larger and deeper are the personal agendas that impede government from attaining it's higher purpose.

...and for every person who has slowly moved from city councilman to Senator, there are likely ten who have quickly moved from city councilman to private citizen and left much undone that history would likely have viewed as good and honorable work.

 

[Lincsong]

Scotrace and Johnnysan have really put it all into perspective. This grimy little burg here is probably the last vestige of 1930's California bossism around. It's run by a 90 plus year old man who pulls everyone's strings who wants to be in elected office. The man is a despot. The homeowner's associations are run by his septugenarian and octogenarian stooges who are water carriers for whatever the city wants. Cronyism is rampant, can anyone believe that the City Machine is blocking a grocery store from locating into a building that housed a grocery store for 60 years????? Chain stores/restaurants bypass here like the plague and a boat marina is filled with silt because the City has refused to dredge the harbor. As result most of the residents are apathetic/blind and just don't vote or move to cleaner safer communities 15 miles east

In small town you also have the little clicks that permeate the place. Over here its; "oh I'm voting for Mario because his Grandfather Manuel umpired little league in the 1950's, I'm voting for Alfred because his wife Teresa always brings spaghetti to the crab feeds in February, I'm voting for Jose because his sister Mary was a teachers aide" Of course Mario, ALfred and Jose walk out of the house with mismatched socks, but they deserve to be elected.

 

[jamespowers]

So you were in for fifteen minutes?

No, unfortunately for several years but yeah, normally I wouldn't take that kind of malarkey. :eusa_doh:

 

[jamespowers]

Scotrace and Johnnysan have really put it all into perspective. This grimy little burg here is probably the last vestige of 1930's California bossism around. It's run by a 90 plus year old man who pulls everyone's strings who wants to be in elected office. The man is a despot. The homeowner's associations are run by his septugenarian and octogenarian stooges who are water carriers for whatever the city wants. Cronyism is rampant, can anyone believe that the City Machine is blocking a grocery store from locating into a building that housed a grocery store for 60 years????? Chain stores/restaurants bypass here like the plague and a boat marina is filled with silt because the City has refused to dredge the harbor. As result most of the residents are apathetic/blind and just don't vote or move to cleaner safer communities 15 miles east

In small town you also have the little clicks that permeate the place. Over here its; "oh I'm voting for Mario because his Grandfather Manuel umpired little league in the 1950's, I'm voting for Alfred because his wife Teresa always brings spaghetti to the crab feeds in February, I'm voting for Jose because his sister Mary was a teachers aide" Of course Mario, ALfred and Jose walk out of the house with mismatched socks, but they deserve to be elected.

lol lol lol lol lol lol I don't think names were changed to protect the kakistocracy. lol

 

[Lincsong]

You mean the idiocracy.:rage:

Oh I'm voting for Abner because his uncle Luigi shined shoes for many years.

 

[Harp]

Chicago is so egalitarian even the dead can vote here,
but coffins cast only Democratic ballots....

 

[jamespowers]

You mean the idiocracy.:rage:

lol lol lol Same thing more or less. A Kakistocracy is the rule of the least capable among us "or least-principled of citizens, is a form of government in which the people least qualified to control the government are the people who control the government"---that would include idiots. lol

 

[Tomasso]

Chicago is so egalitarian even the dead can vote here,
but coffins cast only Democratic ballots....

"Vote Early and Often"

 

[Big Man]

... a form of government in which the people least qualified to control the government are the people who control the government"---that would include idiots ...

You just described our County Commissioners. [huh]

 

[jamespowers]

You just described our County Commissioners. [huh]

And my whole local, county and state government in one fell swoop.
I have used the term more than once in a few local letters to the editor. It just disturbs me when the newspaper calls me to ask what it means. :eusa_doh: I think we have another level of kakistocracy there too.

Regards,

J