Elbmek

Is it just me - is anyone else out there completely bemused by the parade of politicians with fixed, surgery implanted smiles on bemused faces, strutting their funky stuff in front of screaming demonic women waving national flags???? Then they have the nerve to stand there and blatantly lie!!

American politics is amazing! How could anywhere else in the world justify spending such fantastic amounts, in $US billions, on bloody elections? Who makes all the money? Its not the government, not the politicians, who?

Hilary is a "wife of" trying to make good in a cut throat business. Where does she get $5m of "her own money" to give away in political clout to keep the momentum going? Not to mention how much she has already spent.

I am totally bemused and amused by this constant parade of nothing!!

__________________
Never lie, then you have nothing to try and remember.

gunnut

Of course elections are expensive. You have to rent offices, pay for your staff, buy election materials like brochures, mailers, buttons, bumper stickers, placards...etc., even late night donute runs.

How do politicians from other parts of the world run their election campaigns?

__________________
"Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

glyn

__________________
Semper in excretum. Solum profunda variat.

gunnut

But sir, how do you guys run your political campaign? Who pays for the staff? Rents the office? Print election material? TV ads?

Many people feel the way you do. They want to restrict the industry that is our political campaign. But if a bunch of rich folks want to throw their money at a politician so he can waste it on TV commercials, where's the harm?

I see it as just another niche industry that serves very little practical purpose, like tax accounts (no offense to any accountants here). We have overly complex tax laws that most people don't have time to understand so they hire people to understand them.

Personally, I think it's getting too lavish, just like everything else in this country. But then again, it's a large country and it takes a lot of money to get the word out to a narcisistic population.

crooks

Well in Ireland political campaigns are payed for by public donations to our six political parties, and membership fees to parties - Corporate donations are considered highly immoral, and very few parties would actively seek it.

I've noticed a major difference in the way our two countries engage campaigns though - in the US, there seems to be a lot of importance on flashy and constantly updated TV ads and indeed the TV medium....in Ireland, each party publishes a manifesto (election pledges and promises), has a conference (called an Ard Fheis), maybe 1 or 2 election broadcasts, and the party leaders have a large debate - but where do they get their message out every single day of the campaign?

The country becomes plastered in party posters - they go everywhere!:







even on bins!:



Irish politics are also much more 'one-to-one' - I met every single candidate who was running in my constituency just walking down the streets - all ready to talk and engage, listen to problems and give advice....not a security guard in sight - that's integrity that's quite rare these days, and a great thing about living in a small country.

I suppose that's true, but I'd consider that a problem - democracy shouldn't be about money .

__________________
'Liberty - it is newly strung and shall be heard.' - Motto of the United Irishmen.

GraniteForge

I expect to meet every serious candidate for every office, from local officials to US President, and well before the relevant election. I certainly couldn't vote for someone I hadn't at least met once, and I would prefer to have spent some time in conversation with the candidates in order to size them up. Security doesn't seem to become a bother until much later in the process.

Elbmek

My Member of Parliament is actually an ex officer from my Regiment. I have spoken to him on the phone and communicated via email, good quick replies too. Seen him? Never. Nor have I ever seen a single councillor knock on my door. I was asked to stand as a local councillor a couple of years ago but declined as I did not agree with the party concerned.

crooks

But how many times have you spoken directly to the US president?

I used to live in the Taoiseach's (Prime Minister) constituency and met him dozens of times just on my way to work, speaking to him several times in detail, he's the leader of the country and not once was a security guard anywhere near him, he was just sitting on the Bus or Luas, reading a paper - that's what I'm trying to get across, I feel like I know the guy, and even though I don't like his politics I find him genuinely likable as a person.

I know all my TDs including him on a first name basis, and I expect to meet each several times during any campaign.

Also Ireland during an election is hilarious, simply to see what people will do to show their dedication to standing up for you - one time a local candidate on election day actually offered to mind my dog, whom I was worried about getting taken away as I hadn't a leash, outside the polling station if I voted for him !

I had no intention of giving him my No. 1 before that but when I saw how serious he was about garnering votes I went straight in and voted for him - have voted for him ever since.

gunnut

There was a time in history when the US was like this. Citizens just walked into the White House during the inaugural party of a president. That was the early 19th century.

We are a nation with global reach and interests. We have many friends and enemies. Our political figures are a bit harder to get to for a good reason.

crooks

Sounds like an interesting period, though I should say it's not possible to do that here - security in government buildings in highly important (dating from the times the IRA and Loyalist Paras were active).

I suppose that's true, you guys have pissed so many more people off than us the Pres certainly would have to hide behind gates and guards .

gunnut

We also get blamed for stuff we didn't do.

GraniteForge

That's not something I ever kept track of. It probably averages out to something like 3-6 times every four years. If I lived closer to Washington, or were active in party politics, I would expect a much greater frequency.

crooks

Really?!

That's amazing, is it through military, do you work for a party, or is it just chance?

Zemco

It didn't take a lot of money back in the day when TV didn't exist, or before that when radio didn't exist, yet they still managed to get their message out, going town to town by train or horse and buggy and speaking to people, instead of throwing a 30-second sound bite at them.

ChrisF202

I highly doubt that the PM of Ireland was walking down the street without any security. Even the town supervisor of my township (similar to a mayor in a city or village) has a police escort (granted that my township's population is about 325,000 - more then some major cities in Europe). Im willing to bet that there were a few plainclothes Garda officers hidden about.

You have to remember that the US is much bigger country with many more people ... and people here for the most part dont really care for politics. There are 3 times as many people in New York State alone then in all of Ireland.