Normally I think that while politicians of today stink, they aren't really any different from politicians of any age where there was some type of voting system. That's why there is a question mark after reason in this blog's logo. But I'm starting to question that position.
Scott McClellan was on Jon Stewart Monday night and said something that struck a nerve with me about the Bush's administration campaigning for war. This got me thinking about the type of leaders we really are getting in the US in this day and age that really is different from the politicians we had in the past. Todays politicians are better campaigners. They've been studying campaigning a lot harder and in a lot more detail within the last decade(s) than any politicians before. They've been studying how people think, what words sway them, what items of clothing will make a difference... all in an attempt to get their vote in a much more systematic and scientific way than ever before. And from this what do we end up with? Not people in charge who are necessarily capable of leading, but rather people in charge who know how to run a campaign better than others.
When in office, what do you think they will do? Will they suddenly become something else? Of course not. They will use the same skills that they have mastered that got them elected. This is why there was a campaign to get the US behind Bush's war in Iraq by only giving information to the public that strengthened their case while deliberately leaving out information that would weaken it. That is exactly what you do when running for office. And the politicians who keep winning will only get better and better at it.
The Rational Moderate
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