I am running for mayor of my city. Why don't more enlisted run for elected office?

2016-08-17T11:21:22-04:00

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Aug 17 at 2016 11:25 AM

2016-08-17T11:25:20-04:00

The simple answer is, no temperament for the shenanigans of politics..where a good idea and plan has no merit or chance of approval unless you can convince power brokers there is something in it for them, money, influence or more power.

That and those scary skeletons in my closet sure to be exposed.

Response by SGT David T. made Aug 17 at 2016 11:43 AM

2016-08-17T11:43:14-04:00

I would run for office but the Hatch Act prevents me from doing so.

Response by Maj John Bell made Aug 17 at 2016 12:01 PM

2016-08-17T12:01:14-04:00

Because the psychiatric evaluation usually prevents crazy people from enlisting. :) All kidding aside, best of luck!

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Aug 17 at 2016 12:12 PM

2016-08-17T12:12:15-04:00

Good for you. More people should get involved.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 12:37 PM

2016-08-17T12:37:00-04:00

Congratulations Devil Dog hopefully you can put a W in the column and make your city better. Most of us don't want to deal with the political nonsense. Reason why i always loved being enlisted. Being a Drill Sergeant i have had my fair share of Politics that have shaped today's recruits. Most of us love doing our job and don't want to deal with the dark side of the political nonsense.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 17 at 2016 12:48 PM

2016-08-17T12:48:25-04:00

I wouldn't get elected. Because I don't do PC. If your shit is broken, I'm going to tell you your shit is broken. I'm not going to take money away from schools to fund the latest social engineering endeavor. I'm not going to hire you because of your skin color, gender, or sexual orientation, no matter what it may be -- I will hire you if you're the most qualified individual. I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear. I'm going to tell you the REALITY. I'm not going to support 'every participant gets a trophy', I'm going to support 'deserving participants get a trophy'.

All of that makes me unelect-able. Good luck in your run, though, Corporal.

Response by SSG Keith Cashion made Aug 17 at 2016 12:59 PM

2016-08-17T12:59:56-04:00

I think it is a great thing that you want to do for your community. The hard thing to do these days, is to run an honest campaign and no mud slinging. Where you see the campaigns today going wrong is the mud slinging, and the absolute lack of fact checking by either side.

This is where you really sit back, and think over your life, and see what is in that "Proverbial Closet" that can come back to bite you. If it is something that someone slinging mud would use...own it first before they can try to say you are hiding something.

Do your research, see who has their fingers into the Mayors office, what are the constituents really looking for. Based on the scope of that job, what changes can you make, or affect, without making promises that you cannot keep. With the current mayor, what has happened on a positive note, that they can use as part of their platform, and what negatives have happened that they could have either avoided, or stopped all together.

If you are looking at trying to unseat a long time Mayor, this is where you really need to do your research. Career Politicians are hard to unseat...look at Washington for example.

Best of luck in your race, and be the best person for your community and let them know and see it.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 1:51 PM

2016-08-17T13:51:44-04:00

good luck to you. Most people don't for a number of reasons, including the very high costs of running an election, the loss of one's privacy and the very well-monied special interests who will try to stop you if you don't do what they want you to do.

Response by CW2 Ernest Krutzsch made Aug 17 at 2016 5:23 PM

2016-08-17T17:23:12-04:00

Too many skeletons in the closet :-)

Response by CW2 Ernest Krutzsch made Aug 17 at 2016 5:26 PM

2016-08-17T17:26:29-04:00

Running for office is opening up yourself to scrutiny that is extremely discouraging, I applaud you, but I would not put my family (I've been married 36 years) So now my wife has to find out whe I was 17 I did something stupid, and it is publicized all over the country, No Thanks

Response by PO3 Leroy Leftwich made Aug 17 at 2016 6:25 PM

2016-08-17T18:25:45-04:00

Good Luck, politics is has been a nasty business. There is no bottom other people wount go to, to discredit you. And in this day and age, straight talk in politics is unheard of. Even the media doesn't report on, (what happened). It reports on what might happen. If you win, good luck. You'll need it, egg shells are tough to walk on. Unless your strong enough to stomp.

Response by SSG Drew Cook made Aug 17 at 2016 7:04 PM

2016-08-17T19:04:47-04:00

Vetting (no pun intended).

Response by SGT James Hammons made Aug 17 at 2016 7:57 PM

2016-08-17T19:57:48-04:00

Lack of confidence for one. But there are some that are making an impact. CPA, WWP, VFW and more.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 8:27 PM

2016-08-17T20:27:49-04:00

Cause it's a fucking joke bro you'll see sooner or later

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 8:28 PM

2016-08-17T20:28:11-04:00

The real ppl don't last long in politics

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Aug 17 at 2016 9:28 PM

2016-08-17T21:28:40-04:00

Cpl Manns, I would recommend you consult the Hatch act and also your jag corps about your endeavor.
The best of good fortune to you!

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 10:18 PM

2016-08-17T22:18:13-04:00

Because you can't hold a office and be in the military

Response by SPC J.R. McCarthy made Aug 18 at 2016 12:10 AM

2016-08-18T00:10:45-04:00

I discussed this with a friend recently, told him my favorite 4 letter word that is useable in any situation I think, is not what politicians are expected to be saying

Response by SMSgt Roy Dowdy made Aug 18 at 2016 12:54 AM

2016-08-18T00:54:09-04:00

I believe it has to do with the Colin Powell syndrome. He didn't relish having his personal life laid open like a gutted fish for the world and I suspect that finances could be a challenge for the average Joe seeking political office.

Response by Cpl Joshua Caldwell made Aug 18 at 2016 8:14 AM

2016-08-18T08:14:45-04:00

no freakin idea, but I am thinking about getting into politics myself, mostly out of frustration with the ass-clowns who already have those jobs.

Response by MSgt Ken Bergmann made Aug 18 at 2016 2:01 PM

2016-08-18T14:01:18-04:00

too damn expensive.... unless you have deep deep pockets the candidate with the most bucks wins...

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2016 3:20 PM

2016-08-18T15:20:36-04:00

Cpl Dr Ronnie Manns - Are you running for Mayor of Rockford? I grew up there - I wish you luck and hope you can clean it up.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Aug 18 at 2016 4:48 PM

2016-08-18T16:48:25-04:00

Is it really that enlisted generally don't and officers generally do--insofar as vets who run for office? Maybe, maybe not. I'm just unaware of any definitive evidence one way or another.

In any case Marine, I wish you good luck!

Response by SSG Eddye Royal made Nov 17 at 2016 11:22 AM

2016-11-17T11:22:57-05:00

Cpl Ronnie Manns, I just had a friend that's just retired; he was the only second Hispanic to run in the small town in Texas. He ran as a Republican with change and trying to stop the drug flow from entering the town.

He stated his case, but lost to the other Hispanic which is a small percentage of the black & white community. During both campaigns, but his and the lady signs had been vandalized; they told me what was going on and reported it to the local police, didn't hear anything back; since this was a Battle Buddy, I went in the police internet site, found whom if the case had been assigned yet; which wasn't sent a message; then this individual called them and came out to investigate; and said it must have been some kids.

That what you need to look at in this environment; like Major John Bell, wish you the BEST!!