First, it’s harder than I thought. I thought it would be a lot of work, but I underestimated it. I’m talking like 16+ hours a day doing random things ranging from editing flyers to writing letters to making calls and so on.

It’s very hard to get people to help out. Most people seem to have no appreciation as to how few people I have helping me or how hard I work. They seem to think it’s not reasonable for me to keep asking them to spend a couple hours doing some basic stuff. Although there are a few who do understand and help out, and they are real gems. The big problem is how hard it is to keep people doing it. People will help at first, but they get bored or tired out. You need help for months on end, and much of it is not the most interesting work in the world.

There are a lot of smug armchair quarterbacks who tell you what to do or think they know how easy it is or whatever. They don’t get it. It’s annoying. They seem to not understand how all-encompassing it becomes. They are just idiots. People can and should have opinions on political matters, but when it comes to the mechanics of running and campaigning, don’t pretend to be an expert on it or know how hard it is or what a candidate you support needs. Just trust that if they ask for your help, they do need it and that it’s not as easy as it looks.

Another thing: All politics is local. That is the most true quote of all time. You can’t even understand it until you experience it. Politics is largely a social activity. A lot of it is networking and getting to know people. You go to committee meetings and shoot the bull with the various people there afterward etc. You try to make friends. That’s what it’s all about. Half the battle is becoming well acquainted with the various committees, chairpersons, officials and such in your area. If the politicians in your area recognize you, know who you are and are comfortable giving you their personal cell phone number, you are already more than half way there.

It’s demanding and because of that you have to learn to thrive on the stress and not be hurt by it. The paradox here is that you try to be passionate and genuinely friendly, but you can’t take things personally. People you know and like will endorse someone else or decline to help you out. You can’t be hurt by that. You can’t let the stress get to you.

I’ve had people ask how I keep it together under the pressure and with those conflicting issues. I find it surprisingly easy. You just don’t stop to dwell on any failure. There will be bumps in the road. You don’t stop to consider them. You keep moving along and making progress and stay busy. I’m just too busy to stop and worry about anything. I’m too occupied to dwell on stress or let it get to me. At first, I got bothered by things. Now I don’t. I never let something hit me personally or emotionally. I’m just too busy making progress.

Another thing: You can’t be a drama queen or king at all. You can’t bitch at all. It will get you nowhere. Nobody cares about what you feel. Now mind you, I am telling you how it is because you asked me directly, but as a general point, I do not go around talking a lot about how much hard work it is. There’s no point. It gets you nowhere. There is no sympathy. That’s probably a good thing, actually, because there shouldn’t be. It’s not personal or about you.

An important thing I learned: pretty much everything you learned in civics class or political science courses is bull****. It’s all formalities, technicalities and sterilized info on theory that does not apply. I feel kinda bad for people who spent good money on a degree in PS. It’s not that all you learn is false, it’s just that it’s not really the important stuff nor does it really qualify you to understand the actual process. You don’t get it until you get your hands dirty. It’s social and cultural and the only way to really get it and learn the language is immersion.

Now here is the biggest secret I’ve learned:

You can do it. Anyone can do it. Anyone can run for office and win. No background or connections necessary. Those help, sure, but you can acquire them.

It’s a lot of work. You have to be committed. However, Joe Blow who wants to make a difference can run for office. Joe Blow can work his way, without much resistance, into the world of local politics and become something. It’s obtainable. Joe Blow might not win the first time, but he can mount an effective campaign that has a chance of winning.

My cousin ran for office. It is in Canada, so the procedures are not identical, but I’d imagine most of the principles and and the work is about the same. He was telling me it was an experience that was nothing like he had expected and really opened his mind to how things work in ways he would not have expected.

I guess I am asking “what does it look like from your side” or “what is it like to run”

        SteveK9 said:

But, to say (as you do above) that there are a lot of moderates in the Republican party right now seems completely false, to me.

Are you saying this as someone who goes to local republican town committee meetings nearly every night or someone who sees republicans on television?

        SteveK9 said:

But, to say (as you do above) that there are a lot of moderates in the Republican party right now seems completely false, to me.

Well, if you are an extreme Democrat, and tend to think in a highly partisan fashion, then I can see how you would have this opinion.

        drbuzz0 said:

I would be against getting rid of it.

It has a place. Granted, it has been abused in the past and gained some notoriety, but the filibuster can be overridden anyway by a 60% majority. It only works when there is a slim majority and even then, it is not something that can be done for an unlimited period of time.

If the legislation is important enough to the majority they can just call the bluff and wait it out.

The majority can just refuse to take further business and that leaves the parties filibustering with no way of keeping it open other than to stand and talk indefinitely.

Strom Thurmond set a record by doing this for a little more than 24 hours.

Analyze the past 3 years with the clarity you always apply to technical questions, and you may want to re-think this. Some changes are in order.

        BMS said:

Eh … Steve is clearly a moderate. There are plenty of them in both American parties (Republican and Democrat). They usually don’t capture the headlines, however.

Don’t confuse the moderates with the extremists.

The earlier comment by Laurie was what I would have written. I too like a lot of what the author of this site has to say, particularly his support for nuclear power. But, to say (as you do above) that there are a lot of moderates in the Republican party right now seems completely false, to me.

        crf said:

You’re hopefully running for the House, but I want to know your opinion about the filibuster in the Senate. Could you share your thoughts on that?

I would be against getting rid of it. It has a place. Granted, it has been abused in the past and gained some notoriety, but the filibuster can be overridden anyway by a 60% majority. It only works when there is a slim majority and even then, it is not something that can be done for an unlimited period of time. If the legislation is important enough to the majority they can just call the bluff and wait it out.

The majority can just refuse to take further business and that leaves the parties filibustering with no way of keeping it open other than to stand and talk indefinitely. Strom Thurmond set a record by doing this for a little more than 24 hours.

        George Carty said:

I expect that it’s the flipside of the American Dream — since the American Dream claims that anyone who works hard will get rich, Americans have a tendency to believe that poor people are lazy.

Speaking for myself, and I believe, my peers in the middle class, there is a real class divide. But it’s not a divide between the wealthy and the middle class or the poor. It’s a matter of having class versus being “low class.” Thus it doesn’t matter if you’re from the hood, the barrio, the trailer park, the burbs, or uptown Manhattan. Carry yourself with some regard for decency and decorum and we will view you favorably. Show no respect for yourself or others, and we won’t.

Paris Hilton can be upper class, but her money can’t buy her class, her behavior defines her lack of class. On the other hand, I was friends with a man who never made an income above the poverty line, scraped for everything, worked in a pawn shop. That’s where he made money to live, but his passion was being a Scout Master. He gave all his efforts to bettering kids who were mostly poor. He had respect for himself and others and showed real class.

People see Americans being impatient or disdainful with the poor, but it’s not the “poor” to whom we take exception. It’s the low-class, the entitled. It may appear intolerant, but I cannot apologize for having a low opinion of people who share my society, but share none of the values that I believe make our society great.