Current politics has gone astray

Donald Simmons, director of the George and Eleanor McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service in Mitchell, is in Iowa this week and said this in yesterday’s Mitchell Daily Republic:

While watching the events of the past two days unfold in Iowa, I am reminded of the ideals of our founding fathers.

Our presidential selection process was envisioned very differently by our nation’s first electorate than it is being carried out this week in Iowa. Individuals "stood for office" during the 1770s. In short, they pronounced that they would be willing to serve if selected. The idea of personally campaigning for public office was considered inappropriate for one worthy of the public trust. Friends and neighbors, those who knew the individuals standing for election, would speak on their behalf in communities all across the new United States of America. Of course, President George Washington saw into the future and he foretold of what would become of American politics. He warned us not to trust those who actively campaigned for public office.

That would mean that it would not take much if many money to run. Now wouldn’t that open things up for common folk. Pat Powers gave me campaign advice and I remember the top one being ….money. Sounds like I should spend $20,000 to $30,000 for a seat that pays $6,000 per year for two years. Something is wrong with that.

Here is more from Simmons:

Political parties were also a grave concern for Washington. National political parties, as we think of them today, did not exist at the time of the founding of the Republic. Whigs, Tories, federalists and antifederalists were more factions than political parties. In his farewell address, Washington warned that with the rise of political parties, "unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people."

That blows Pat Powers’ idea that it does not matter what your politics are (liberal versus conservative), all that manners is that you support the Republican Party no manner who the person is.