Politicians: Weird People Who Like Asking For Money

March 3, 2010

Among the students in my Political Management Master’s program, there were a few who I think we all looked at a little askance because they seemed to really like the fundraising aspect of politics. As in, they were good at asking people for money, and they liked doing it. We always though these people were weirdos. Too bad they’re also the ones who go on to be politicians. I like how Ezra Klein puts it here:

The thing about the current political system is that no matter how much you like or agree with a politician, unless they’re self-funded, you have to look at them and recognize that this is someone whose core competency is spending 30 percent of his or her time asking people for money, meeting and talking with people who might have money to give in the future, and generally figuring out how to pay to be a politician.

And these are the people who we’re counting on to pass laws without the influence of lobbyists. Hmmm.