I won't run for office because....

[Robb]

Poll question: I won't run for office because....

[felonious thunk]

1. The fundraising

would love the job and the campaigning, but I couldn't do the fundraising.

[Maine Mary]

33. Work for publicly financed campaigns in your State then

I've been involved in campaigns (my own) since 94 finally winning my first term to the Maine Legislature in 98. Back then and up until 2000, publicly finainced campaigns were not available. But the 2000 election cycle ushered in our first "clean elections" campaigns. I still ran "traditional" and won again that year but for my 2002 campaign I tried it (public financing). HOLY COW what a difference! It was great to be able to focus exclusively on just campaigning! No worries about money for me!

I'd really encourage those of you who live in States that don't have public financing available to actively work for them.

[judge_smales]

2. There are so many skeletons in my closet

that I have the overflow stacked in the attic. And the basement. And the garage.

It wouldn't be pretty.

[trof]

24. We call my closet "the boneyard".

and welcome to DU.
:hi:

[FrankBooth]

30. Those damn skeletons

I can hear them shaking in their bones with laughter at the prospect of me running for office.

[WilliamPitt]

35. Elihu, will you come loofah my stretch-marks?

[GOPisEvil]

3. I'm not a really good schmoozer.

I'm more of a "man behind the candidate" type. I'll manage your campaign, but not be the candidate. :-)

[trotsky]

4. Not so much "talking to people"

that churns my stomach, but having to SCHMOOZE. I need my quiet downtime, and I don't think politics ever really affords you that.

[aljones]

5. it might jump start my acting career!!!

i am pretty sure there are enough pictures of me to fill a penthouse or playboy. which ever magazine offers the most money to my ex-boyfriends.

smile ally

[Kolesar]

6. I am an unmarried atheist, living in sin

I am a cheapskate who loathes the way most of my neighbors spend their money foolishly. I don't have much in common with them. I would lose a lot of votes because of my lifestyle. Relating to these people would be difficult. I would like to try, though.

[SOteric]

7. A)

I have a scandal in my past about which I'm too emotionally vulnerable to wish to see it examined in international news.

B) I'm already heavily committed and deeply active in several social projects which will not gain 'replacement' voices should I chose to exercise mine somewhere else.

C) I'm not certain that crowding the existing field of candidates with a relative unknown is the best possible strategy for successfully ousting the perfidious segments of government.

D) If we're speaking specifically about the presidency, I do not meet the constitutional criteria for candidacy.

[Nikia]

8. I'm not sure how long I'm going to live where I do

I hate my job and this area doesn't exactly have tons of jobs. As a result, I wouldn't want to be tied to living in this area if I would win. On the otherhand, holding office might make my life meaningful enough that I could focus on it instead of the problems with my job.

[damnraddem]

9. Other: they'd drag up my past to use against me.

I may be proud of it -- but it wouldn't get me elected.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

10. I suck at schmoozing

And am non confrontational. :(

[Township75]

11. Being nonconfrontational...

is not unattractive to all people, and may some day become the mainstream.

I would certianly like our society to become less confrontational or at least less rudily, in-your-face confrontational...but at the same time, I do like my politicians to be confrontational at times when they are defending/promoting a political belief of mine.

Maybe in 10 years your 2 weaknesses will become to strengths

[LuLu550]

12. I inhaled

:hippie:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

13. YEah...there's this tape from my early days of college...

That I don't usually discuss, and I don't know where it is...I'm not going to tell you what it is...I'm just going to say it's surprising it's not on the internet somewhere by now...hehe
Duckie

[LuLu550]

14. congrats on 400 posts, Duckie!

:toast:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

22. Thanks...GO ME...

I hadn't even noticed...
Duckie

[goobergunch]

15. Other: eligibility

If you didn't have to be 25 to run for the House, I'd run against Rep. Gerlach.

[davsand]

16. I'll give you the same response I gave the Party Chair...

...when she asked me to run for office:

I've bought pot from WAAAAY too many of the voters in this county.

To her credit, her response was pretty good. She told me that anyone from our time frame probably did the same things and it has never been an issue so far...

At that point I used the excuse of having small child. I figure I'm good for a couple more years on that one and then I'm gonna have to run.

Laura

[BiggJawn]

17. I'm a walking scandal....

Fiscally irrespnsible. Lost a house, filed Chapter 7, lost a car, had a student loan called....

Sexually "experienced"... married twice, been with about 30 other women, some who were married to other guys at the time...maybe some large farm animals, I can't remember, used to drink too much back then....

Tried quite a few "substances", don't "regret" any of them...and yes, I DID "inhale" (puked my guts up afterwards, too. What was IN that shit?) And like I said, used to drink too much in my younger days...

now THAT is the definition of "Un-electable", yes?

[5thGenDemocrat]

18. Because I have a (non-violent) felony on my record (23 years ago)

Something I am CERTAIN I have never mentioned here before. It was really pretty mundane, but a felony nevertheless.
It doesn't really factor into my life any more (as I said, it was in 1980 -- in fact, come to think of it, it happened right about this time of year), but I certainly wouldn't want an opponent to go bringing it all up again.
John
That's a secret between me and those who are reading this thread -- because I'm never going to bring it up again, either. I only mention it now because the topic is why I don't run for office.

[xJlM]

31. No felonies, but numerous misdemeanors

Mostly drug related, but also a couple involving firearms (improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, illegal possesion of a dangerous ordinance and aggravated menacing).

[DebJ]

19. what the world needs is more discussion among NON-candidates

not more candidates.
What we need is more people starting Committees of Correspondance type groups. People are more likely to listen to neighbors than to candidates (present company excluded of course).The people I have worked with over several decades in many workplaces, don't follow the debates nor most of politics, but they do listen and respond to the facts I bring up. Of course, nowadays, I could get charged with harassment - not that I try to harass anyone, and I ask for their views too - but I am very passionate and could get in trouble - but that's one 'bonus' of my job.....I get paid so little I could replace it anytime!! Ha! And since I have more time available now, after 33 years of slavery, I might start getting petitions together on various issues, getting them signed, and putting our Congressmen on notice...and getting people registered to vote who sign these petitions. Maybe I can get a few more people to vote on ISSUES instead of on Smiles, Mannerisms, and Hairstyles!

[Capn Sunshine]

20. Yeah , add a " too many skeletons "option

and you will see why I work with and for but not AS an candidate.
My Gov't file alone is over 5 ft. high they tell me.

[rbnyc]

21. I think I will run for office.

Someday I may run for City Council. I've been thinking about it more and more lately and a lot of people think it's a good idea.

:)

[goobergunch]

dupe (n/t)

[goobergunch]

23. Count me in "people that think it's a good idea"! (n/t)

[rbnyc]

27. Thanks honey! (nt)

[KG]

25. because of the 'youthful indescretions' that i am still indulging in.

:)

[CBHagman]

26. Many, many reasons

I would LOVE to make a difference by serving in public office, and I am a people person.

That said, I would hate fundraising, and I'm definitely not a natural extrovert. Any opponent worth his or her salt could make me look bad, though I'm probably one of the few living baby boomers who hasn't used recreational drugs.

The thing is, guys, there are people I know who would be wonderful public servants and with whom I'd trust my life, but in the current state of things, a ruthless opponent could drag them through the mud. It's bad out there.

I'm not without hope, though. I just don't think I could be the best and most stubborn, thick-skinned campaigner around. I'll stick to working for my candidates.

[AWD]

28. Hell....

My views are too outside the mainstream, the idea of talking to people turns my stomach, it DOES cut into my DU time, that one videotape / picture would ruin me, I raised three dollars once for UNICEF and that's my record, my spouse IS campaigning against me, and one person can make a difference but it's someone else....but I'm still running anyway.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

29. I can't organize my purse...

Seriously...there are receipts in there that are over 2 years old. If I can't manage that, how in the hell could I organize my thoughts enough to run for public office?

Even if I won, I'd get recalled.

[Robb]

32. All politics is local politics...

...Town and City Councils are where things get decided. Planning and Zoning boards. School boards.

That said, I'm sorry that my dingbatness is keeping two people from running for office! :shrug:

[Booberdawg]

34. Other - my past would never survive the scrutiny!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

36. I'd love to work as a speechwriter or strategist, but

once candidates get elected, they spend much of their time on mind-numbingly boring stuff: endless meetings, having to read all sorts of legalese. Yuck.