Seriously, have you considered running for president of the United States of America? Even just as a fantasy? Do you like the way that sounds, thinking about the good you could do, and the way it could boost your resume?
Well, if running for office sounds attractive then why are we not attracting top notch people?
{mosads}For one thing, who in the hell would want their entire history on public display nationwide? And, what about your children, spouse, life partner, business associates, and — increasingly more today — your Twitter followers and Facebook friends? Yes, my friend, it’s not only about you: It’s about everything you’ve done and everybody you know. It’s even about what you haven’t done. Everything you’re proud of will be discounted, minimized, and mocked.
Look at Donald Trump. He is a self-made billionaire that made his name in the game of real estate and obnoxious branding. We argued over his billionaire status and whether it was ten, five, or three billion. His wife, whose only crime was marrying “The Donald,” had her whole reputation smeared by the spin doctors.
There’s also wonder-boy Marco Rubio. A beloved fresh-faced political hopeful that even caught the financial eye of political donor and Oracle founder, Larry Ellison. Rubio, his beautiful ex-cheerleader wife, and cherub-faced children painted a Hispanic sort of Norman Rockwell scene that was going to turn around the Republican Party’s failing brand and attract Hispanics, a voting demographic that the GOP desperately needed to obtain.
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Well, that happy family got torn to shreds by the media.
Golden boy Rubio was portrayed as a financial deadbeat who failed to pay his mortgage, bills, and having a “sugar addiction” by positioning himself front and center on behalf of preserving U.S. sugar subsidies, mainly to perpetuate his friendship with the Fanjul family from South Florida.
His wife didn’t get off easy either as The New York Times blasted Jeanette Rubio for a about a dozen traffic violations accrued in as many years. That’s news the voters need to know?
We can go on and on reliving the scandals of people who have run for this elite office, but lately it has attracted people in the form of a career booster, ego enhancer, or acquisition opportunity to basically purchase the seat.
Who’s to blame for this poor quality of candidates? We love the blame game and holding others accountable for our poor choices. The group to blame is the group that caused the root of it. It is the media, you, and your appetite for wanting to watch political train wrecks from your couch.
There, I said it. In this constant and competitive news environment it’s the scandal and bloody-nose type reporting that grabs the viewer, which results in ratings, which results in the reason for it all … money. Stations with the most viewers sell the most ads.
If you want to point the finger, stop blaming the Right and Left media outlets and turn it on yourself. They’re only giving you what you want my friend.
You adore reality television and extremely opinionated cable tv hosts giving their partisan viewpoints as you nod along in a zombie-like trance. How do you think Trump evolved? If you think we are done with “Trump-like” candidates, you are dead wrong.
Don’t discount a future ticket of rapper Kanye West, Taylor Swift and her girl squad, or maybe one of the Kardashians will run. They’re coming for us because we asked for it. We want to be entertained and not governed these days.
So, if you are sick and tired of it, take control of your political life and get help! Snap out of it! Organize a political Twelve Step Program and get a sponsor and walk down that road to recovery and start making sober decisions about who you cast your vote for and what type of candidates you’re attracting.
The views expressed by Contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.