The Regular Guy Fallacy

I hear it time and time again, "I like < insert candidates' name >, he's a regular guy." I don't know about you, but I don't want my President to be a regular guy, I want the smartest guy out there.

After all, we are talking about President of the United States, not head of the School Committee (which also takes a pretty smart person). You need to be able to understand world situations, economics, diplomacy, military conflict. It would be good to have an understanding of history, an appreciation of what others have done before you.

Hell, it would be nice if you had read and perhaps had some insight into our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

You should also be able to pronounce "nuclear" if you are in charge of pressing that red button.

Democracy is hard work. You have to participate, read, listen to other people, visit websites. We aren't choosing Homecoming Queen here. Judging someone based on what they look like, their hair style, if they seem like a regular guy or a prick or a bitch isn't going to cut it anymore. LBJ was a prick, but he as a great politician. Nixon was a crook, but he understood international power politics. JFK was probably a womanizer, but he inspired us to do our best.

If we keep judging politicians on little things, superficial things, then we will get meek, or idiotic or bland politicians.

We are talking about being part of a complicated world, and I want my guy (or woman) in the big chair to be the smartest, most qualified one out there... not just the one that panders to the LCD the most. I hardly care about what he or she does in their private life as long as he/she can get what I want done.

So there is a challenge. look outside the superficial stuff and find out what these candidates are all about.

Now stop reading and visit some websites.

Do we really want change?

The word from the candidates this election cycle is change. All of them say they will change Washington.

If you believe them, you're a sucker. Change is hard, and no one really wants change if it affects them, only if it doesn't.

Example 1: Everyone hates lobbyists. Get rid of them. But then how do you tell your legislator what you want? You can write to them, or call. But eventually, you'll want someone who has a better connection to push your point. Or you get busy. So then you (or the organization you support) hires -- you guessed it -- a lobbyist (or the equivalent).

Example 2: Reduce government spending. no one wants to pay more taxes. Heck! I want to pay less taxes. But one man's boondoggle is another man's necessity. It might be the difference between some people getting new road surfaces and others not, or everyone get patched potholes. I don't know about you, but I want my legislator to fight for the new road surface.

Frankly, I don't trust anyone who holds Washington and the system in such contempt. After all, the President (usually) does not operate in a vacuum. He has to compromise if anything is to get done. I want someone who knows how to work the system and the things that I elected him/her for happen.