Our side is corrupt (and stupid), but the other side is more corrupt.
The 2020 democratic presidential race has to be the stupidest campaign of all time. Why can’t these candidates pledge to work together to defeat the village idiot in the White House? Why is that so difficult?
Oh — I forgot. I wrote about it in my book. Politicians are ignorant, unimaginative, weak, fearful of truth, proud and selfish. Now we know what that looks like in both parties. Trumpty Dumpty is the Republican version of the uneducated politician, and a slew of democratic candidates demonstrate those vices on the other side.
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The question is why don’t people who are not “ignorant, unimaginative, weak, fearful of truth, proud and selfish” run for office?
Good question, Mark. In my book I argue that Americans don’t vote for people with the six virtues. Instead, they prefer candidates who are ignorant (speak in sound bites that are easy to understand), unimaginative (new ideas are ridiculed — social security, Medicare, income tax), weak (doing whatever it takes to get re-elected, no matter how unprincipled), fearful of truth (we are not the greatest country in the world), proud (self-promotion is the highest value), and selfish (look out for yourself and then look out for me).
In other words, can you imagine a candidate who
1) gave clear, extended explanations of his/her stances.
2) had imaginative ideas for solving problems.
3) resisted the re-election grind to work for constituents.
4) admitted that the US is far from perfect, and there are many things we can do to improve American lives.
5. humble in accomplishments
6. generous with his/her policies
Maybe we are at a point where we need to ask, which comes first — candidates who are vicious, or American voters who do not elect those who are virtuous. I would argue that the fault is in American voters who were schooled, instead of educated.
“I would argue that the fault is in American voters…” You might be right. Or not. But I’ve learned that any argument with that as a conclusion is likely to be rejected as elitist.
Is it elitist to believe that democracy requires an educated citizenry — the more educated the better? If so, I plead guilty.
I hear you. The problem with that argument is that you’re implying the voters you disagree with are not educated. That argument will more likely drive them away from you than win them over to your point of view. My advice? Preach the benefits of the Six Virtues and quit telling people they are “ignorant, unimaginative, weak, fearful of truth, proud and selfish.”
You are right, of course.
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