How do totally unqualified idiots like bush & palin ever become governors?

[Philosoraptor]

How do these two examples of brain dead politicians ever become governors of the United States? How can two people who don't even read newspapers and books, two people who couldn't find their own asses with a map and directions EVER get this far up the political ladder?

My God, how many functionally illiterate, bona fide insane senators, congress folks, and governors ARE there?

And this blagoyavich fucker, what's the fucking deal with HIM?

[machI]

1. The job of a Governor is to advance the business interests of the State

A group of businessmen, who have no desire to actually be Governor, kick money into a fund to put up a brain dead body to represent their particular business. They bought the office; they call the shots. The dumber the Governor is, the easier it is for the money interests to control him.

The result is Big Oil buys dumb Governors like Bush and Palin.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Still Not Sure Who Bought Blago

But, trust me, he's bought and paid for. I'm ashamed to say i voted for him now. He has let his supporters down, big time. I suppose his most valuable asset was he wasn't George Ryan.
GAC

[cali]

2. well, in bush's case, his father was president of the U.S.

in other words, the guy had powerful connections and a political machine. In Palin's case, it seems to be that she has some sort of personal appeal that I don't get, that resonates with Alaskans (and a lot of other people).

[roseBudd]

12. Palin used abortion to get elected

[hadrons]

4. I suspect part of it is that they're effective in selling greed ....

One of the things these two jackasses are excellent at is selling the idea that the powerful business elite interests they serve will also serve others ... what I'm trying to say is when Bush ran there was a wink in his eye about how he'll rape the environment and cut gov't safeguards to help business, but he made it sounds to the people most effected in a negative way (about 99.999% of them) that they'll get a "taste" of the money being made too.

Sadly, about 50% of the people - more or less - will fall for it

[KG]

5. because functionally illiterate, bona fide insane american citizens vote for them?

that would be my guess.

[lonestarnot]

6. Astounding isn't it?

:puke: factor.

[HughBeaumont]

7. While there are good Democrats in each state . . .

. . . there were far too many nutjawbs that were more than willing to put "Gewd CHrist-un men 'n' wimmen" in the guvernership. Look at our state before Ohio wised up: we had Bob Fucking TAFT. Ridiculously low approval numbers, but he got re-elected and proceded to bankrupt and scandalize the state.. Unbelievable.

[bearfan454]

8. Money and political connections nt

[Celeborn Skywalker]

22. Hey!

I haven't seen you here in a while.

I remember your threads in the cooking forum where you would post pics and recipes. They always looked delicious!

[bearfan454]

23. I haven't been around too much. I work a LOT

Me and Mrs bearfan work at the same place so if it goes down, we're double screwed.

[peekaloo]

9. I wanna have a beer wit' 'em!

:beer:

[no_hypocrisy]

10. Funding.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Our candidates are selected for us to choose by third parties.

[demodonkey]

11. I got a glimpse of this last night... hour and a half phone call with...

... a local Dem "mover and shaker". OMG. I would like to run for public office someday, but it's all about funding and connections and offering free tickets to this photo-op and that dinner, and I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine, etc... $$$$$.

Not a pretty picture.

[dkofos]

13. Never mis-underestimate the ignorance of the voting public.

[IDemo]

14. Too many Americans think "Blazing Saddles" was a documentary

[Thothmes]

15. their called elections

elections are where voters decide who they want for the job. Elections are won by the candidiate that convinces the voters the he is the best person for the job. Good salesmen, not necessirily the the best candidate, get elected.

[Fire1]

16. Interesting question. Apparently, it doesn't take much..............

so, I guess the answer is, 'other idiots.' The scary part is that this country is composed of that kind of mentality.

[Kip Humphrey]

17. Off-hand, I would say idiots vote for idiots... Says something about certain states, eh?

[ladjf]

18. The election of unqualified people such as Bush and Palin are

a clear indication that your political system is seriously flawed.

[book_worm]

19. Bush=powerful family connections. Palin=mudslinging campaign

She became Mayor by pointing out that the current Mayor was Jewish, so, not a Christian! which apparently the dumb asses around there didn't realize and were up in arms. She became Governor by "taking on her party" in the primary and then running the typical right wing mudslinging campaign against her opponent featuring abortion and "family values." Funny, that a state like Alaska with the highest alcoholism in the country and one of the largest amounts of spouse beatings and teen pregnancies ate it all up.

[SheilaT]

20. The very vast majority of voters,

easily 95% of them, pay no attention at all to politics from one election day to the next. A very large percentage, probably well above 60%, always votes for either Republican or Democratic candidate because he or she has ALWAYS voted for that political party. Maybe 1% of citizens ever even consider running for office, even for something like city council, let alone state senate or representative. If more people actually ran for office, starting with being a precinct committee chair person, I like to think we'd all be better off.

Since most of what happens to get someone to the point of running for office is invisible, it seems like a bizarre kind of magic that someone ends up running for (and being elected) governor of a state.

[undeterred]

21. Idiots vote for them.

They make my governor look brilliant.

[Greyhound]

24. How do totally unqualified idiots always get into their positions? Connections.

My last bosses boss can't comprehend what little he can read, has no understanding of the numbers he is constantly trying to improve, and writes at a third grade level in the handwriting of a first grader. He does nothing right, yet runs a department of ~100 people and has done so for eight years. He also boasts a 120% annual turnover. His only talent seems to be an innate ability to blame others for his decisions.

Rampant incompetence has overtaken the country.

When I was young, I was taught about business by mentors, these guys were of the so-called Greatest Generation. They smoked like chimneys, drank like fish, cursed like sailors, and probably didn't even finish high school, yet they were successful because they knew how people work, always got the job done, and could spot a bad idea a mile away. They were not swayed by research, studies, or statistics. They couldn't care less what your "credentials" were, what school you went to, or who your daddy was. Their interview process consisted of going out to lunch, getting you drunk, and asking if you could do the job and how you think you would do it. Then they went with their gut.

They put three projects, worth tens of millions, in the hands of a twenty year old "hippie kid", because he spoke his mind, picked things up quickly, and was completely honest about not knowing shit about what they wanted him to do, but was anxious to learn. They kept an eye on me but let me fuck up knowing that I would not repeat that mistake again and always, always encouraged questions.

Can you imagine anything like that happening today?