Mitt Romney recently implied that you should be essentially well to do to run fo

1. 60

   Peter Leeperposted 12 years ago

   Mitt Romney recently implied that you should be essentially well to do to run for political office a
   
   Mitt Romney recently implied that you should be essentially well off do to run for political office and not think of holding office as a job.  Do you agree, disagree?  Why?

   replyreport
2. 60

   chelseacharlestonposted 12 years ago

   I'm torn about it.  I hate to say it, but I think the people at the top need experience handling money.  Ideally, it doesn't matter.  I wouldn't rule a PHENOMENAL, but broke candidate out.  I'm just not so sure how all that would work.

   replyreport
3. 70

   aguasilverposted 12 years ago

   Experience in business, successful experience for at least some of the time is essential for politicians.
   
   Career politicians who never do anything but politics are obviously geared to riding the system and corruption, which is bad for everyone except those with vested interests.
   
   Ideally politicians should be required to raise ALL their campaign funds from the general public, say no donation over $1000 per individual. That way a big campaign would NEED grass-roots support in the truest fashion.
   
   I had a hub, based upon an idea I had in 2007, that demonstrated that with enough cash, you can buy an election.
   
   I was offered a 'safe seat' in Westminster when I was in my mid 30's when some bankers wanted to put me into parliament for them, "which party?" I innocently asked... "We don't care, you choose, we want politicians in all parties" was their reply.
   
   Glad I never entered politics.

   replyreport
4. 82

   Attikosposted 12 years ago

   It's possible for someone not independently wealthy to hold high public office, but it isn't easy. Washington is full of well paid sharks whose job is to influence governmental policy, experts at finding and exploiting officials' vulnerabilities. Being free of a need for money for his family insulates a representative from a leading pressure point lobbyists and other politicians know how to use to get what they want.

   replyreport
5. 0

   icountthetimesposted 12 years ago

   I think the make up of political parties should at least in some way reflect society as a whole. How can people be properly represented when politicians have very little idea of what it's like to face the struggles that everyday people do. Mitt Romney and co are detached from the reality of the average person.

   replyreport
6. 78

   Beata Stasakposted 12 years ago

   This is the problem with American politics, you need to be 'well off' first and 'what you believe in and what you want to change' is the second on the list.
   Even if you manage to 'sqeeze in' with help of the funds, 'the rich and the powerful' will make it sure, that you 'will compromise what you believe in'.
   
   It is time to get back to the real leading models of the past and separate once again 'money' and 'politics'.

   replyreport
7. 66

   Clive Donegalposted 12 years ago

   Of course he would say that. It is all he knows. His friends own race cars and multiple residences. They own or run multi-million dollar corporations. They play music on their knees with silver spoons and take lavish vacations.
   That is the way everyone should live. I am sure that that must be what he means. They will bear  the lantern; they will light our way to wealth and prosperity. The alternative is too gruesome to contemplate.

   replyreport