Can an extraordinary citizen beat an ordinary career politician in a race for elected office?

Election 2014

Yes, the 2014 election has begun. You can avoid it until the primary. You can avoid it until November. Sooner or later you will face a choice, or ignore it and let someone else make it for you. Isn't that what we've all done in the past, and look where it's gotten us.

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Honestly, I don't know if any citizen can best a career politician in a political contest, but we need to find out. We have state houses and a Congress full of career politicians and look what it's gotten us. Obviously, the Affordable Health Care Act isn't affordable. The government jobs and part time employment they've created are poor substitutes for the millions of jobs we've lost. Now, do you really think that reelecting the same career politicians will produce a better result?

I got myself involved in the political process this year for many reasons. First and foremost, I have grandchildren and I'm ashamed that I'm leaving them a far poorer world than the one I inherited. Also, I don't want to again face a choice between dumb and dumber or the lesser of two evils when I cast my ballot this year. Sure, I've done that often enough before, but now there are grandchildren to consider. I hope that, like me, you'll go out and find yourself a better candidate than the career politicians who are clamoring behind the scenes to vie for our votes.

Yes, the clamoring has already begun. You should hear the career politicians in California's 45th Congressional District squealing because a mere citizen has thrown his hat into the ring. “But, it's my turn!” they cry and they have supporters who echo the sentiment.

Here we have two Republicans who have paid their dues. One is a state senator and the other is a county commissioner. They and their supporters truly believe that only professional politicians are qualified to represent We the People. Do we have to believe that just because they do?

Indeed, what are the arguments against sending an ordinary citizen to Washington?

They have no experience. Experience may be a factor when comparing incumbents to challengers. Every new member of Congress reports early to Washington to attend classes in the legislative process. I wonder if they are required to view the Schoolhouse Rock episode of “I'm Just a Bill”. Unfortunately, we have been reelecting incumbents regardless of the fact that their experience consists of voting for bad legislation.

Interestingly, in the campaign that I've joined, the private citizen has more experience in Washington than all of his opponents – Republican, Democrat, et al – combined. He served for three years in the military liaison office at the White House during the Clinton Administration, working on legislation both there and on Capitol Hill. You probably won't be so lucky to find a non-politician like that, but it doesn't matter. Your new Representative or Senator will have plenty of help learning the ropes.

Many career politicians, especially incumbents, use their seniority as an argument against sending novices to state houses and Congress. While it is true that incumbents' seniority entitles them to first consideration for assignment to key legislative committees, the argument fails when we consider that they've used those positions to foist bad laws on us. Also, there is no constitutional basis for committee assignments based on seniority. Maybe, it's time to challenge that.

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I hope that you don't sit out another election. Maybe you'll be inspired by our experiment in the California 45th Congressional District. Please feel free to follow along. “Like” our campaign page on Facebook. Bookmark our website.

Better yet, go find your own extraordinary citizen. We'll be happy to help your campaign just as you can help ours.