Your ideal candidate...A kinder and gentler political thread.

[S-Des]

Something Belegon said in the thread about Senator Obama has been knawing at me all night. He posted something moving about inspiring hope and how important that was. Roxanne countered with the concept that one shouldn't base one's hope on politicians or the government. He felt it was cynical and kind of sad. I however completely understood her POV (and his too). It got me to wondering about what people perceive as the "right" type of candidate for President in the next election. There are so many different ways to look at it, and people here embody all of them with the added bonus of so many from other countries (so their perspectives might be totally different).

There is no right and wrong, I'm not talking about which policies need to get done. I don't want an angry, fighting political thread (we have plenty of those already). I'm just curious what it is that inspires you (or you feel would inspire you) to support a given candidate and really take him into your heart. Is it the way his/her views coincide with yours overall? One specific issue that is incredibly important to you? The person's honesty or integrity? His/her ability to listen to differing POVs? The type of person who has a vision and doesn't care if the polls agree or not? Charisma? Something I have forgotten to mention?

I am hoping to not only get the opinions of the regulars on these threads, I'd like to hear from everyone. I know it's tough to pick one trait because so many are important, but I was hoping to find that one thing that really would make you feel attached to the person.

For me, it's their courage to stand out and express what they think. Although I might disagree with their views, a person who says what they think no matter what the consequences is someone I can get behind (unless their policies are totally repugnant to me ). The type of person who will get out in front of the media and call out congress for not getting off their asses or take on the media or a foreign power (or all of the above). I'll take an honest, outspoken person any day of the week. Tell me what you think and trust me to be a thinking adult.

And please, no ranting about liberals or conservatives, left or right. Let's just hear what YOU think would make the perfect candidate (or at least the most important ingredient). I am honestly curious what is most important to other people.

 

[SimonBrooke]

Something Belegon said in the thread about Senator Obama has been knawing at me all night. He posted something moving about inspiring hope and how important that was. Roxanne countered with the concept that one shouldn't base one's hope on politicians or the government. He felt it was cynical and kind of sad. I however completely understood her POV (and his too). It got me to wondering about what people perceive as the "right" type of candidate for President in the next election. There are so many different ways to look at it, and people here embody all of them with the added bonus of so many from other countries (so their perspectives might be totally different).

At the 1997 general election, I was at the south-west Scotland count, running the computers for the Scottish National Party. I've been a nationalist most of my life; I've never voted for the Labour Party. My partner had been a member of the Labour Party most of her life and was actually still a member of the Labour Party at that election - but at that election she actually voted for a Socialist Labour Party candidate, against the official labour party candidate.

Nevertheless we both felt the euphoria as Tony Blair came to power. To achieve a Scotland with no Conservatives elected at all felt like a huge victory. And we both felt that with the catastrophic defeat of conservatism we'd see the end to sleaze and corruption and an adventurist, imperialist foreign policy...

Looking back just ten years I feel so naive. I can't really feel betrayed; I didn't vote for them, and, indeed, I campaigned against them. But Blair has led Britain much further to the political right (and further into political corruption) than Thatcher could ever have hoped to; it is he rather than Major who is her spiritual successor.

While I wish you in the states well, I'd counsel you against investing too much hope in either Obama or Hilary Clinton. In both the United States and the United Kingdom, we've allowed elections to become too expensive, and consequently our politicians are too indebted to the very rich. You in the States additionally have the problem that many of your votes will be counted using electronic voting machines with no audit trail many of which are produced by a company very strongly aligned with the Republican party.

Furthermore, in both countries the news media are in the hands of a very few powerful corporations who essentially control the message that politicians can get across to voters. I don't think either nation can any longer claim to be a functioning democracy; and I also think that, even if a person of genuine good will was elected to the top job in either country, I think they'd find themselves so constrained by powerful interests that they would be ably to achieve very little good.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

What - kinder and gentler politics?

Bor-ing . . .

Just kidding.

In case anyone's interested (Hi Mom), here are my key posts S-Des mentioned:

http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=21391518&postcount=144

http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=21391974&postcount=146

 

[S-Des]

Thanks Simon. There's nuances to your government that are still beyond me (although that's not necessarily tough to do ). I'm still curious if there is a single thing that stands out to you (or would for your dream candidate) about someone.

Roxleby, that wasn't exactly an answer...*stern glare*