This book of elementary principles of politics is written in two (2) parts. Part One is entitled: The Campaign is all About The Candidate" It is primarily concerned with matters to be considered by a person involved in a campaign. Part is entitled: Thoughts of an Elected Official" It is primarily concerned with a reflection of what happened during a term in office when the campaigning ends and the work of representing the people begins. This book is a primer on practical politics before and after the election and it provides a guide for any person who wants to be a Candidate and a Public Official.
A Primer On Politics Before And After The Election
By Benjamin AllenTrafford Publishing
Copyright © 2014 Benjamin Allen
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4907-3460-6Contents
About the Author, ix,
Foreword, xi,
Part I The Campaign Is All about the Candidate,
Chapter 1 Being a Leader Is Not Easy, 3,
Chapter 2 The Challenge to Do Something, 5,
Chapter 3 Beginning the Campaign, 7,
Chapter 4 One Last Check before Beginning the Campaign, 9,
Chapter 5 The Campaign Is about the Candidate, 11,
Chapter 6 The Candidate Must Make Decisions, 13,
Chapter 7 The Candidate's Steering Committee, 15,
Chapter 8 The Candidate Must Have a Plan, 17,
Chapter 9 I Am the Candidate—The Announcement, 21,
Chapter 10 The Candidate Must Tell a Story, 23,
Chapter 11 The Candidate Must Obtain Endorsements, 27,
Chapter 12 The Campaign Must Have a Slogan, 29,
Chapter 13 Know the Opposition, 31,
Chapter 14 Join a Political Party, 33,
Chapter 15 The Candidate Must Resist Negative Ads, 36,
Chapter 16 The Candidate Must Delegate, 38,
Chapter 17 The Candidate Must Raise Money, 40,
Chapter 18 The Candidate and the Budget, 43,
Chapter 19 A Campaign Headquarters Is Needed, 44,
Chapter 20 The Candidate Must Encourage Early Voting, 46,
Chapter 21 Yes, Hire a Political Consultant, 47,
Chapter 22 Yes, Maintain a Web Page, 49,
Chapter 23 Yes, Buy Newspaper Ads and, Radio and Television Ads, 51,
Chapter 24 The Candidate Must Finish Election Day, 53,
Chapter 25 The Candidate Ends the Campaign, 54,
Chapter 26 The Candidate as a Newly Elected Official, 56,
Part II Thoughts of an Elected Official,
Chapter 27 Day after the Election, 59,
Chapter 28 A Review of the Campaign and the People Who Help, 61,
Chapter 29 What Do the Voters Want?, 63,
Chapter 30 Consequences of Being Elected, 65,
Chapter 31 The Elected Official and the Lobbyist, 67,
Chapter 32 It's Just Politics, 69,
Chapter 33 Politics Is the Art of Compromise, 71,
Chapter 34 Money and Politics, 73,
Chapter 35 The Elected Official Must Use the Power of the Office, 75,
Chapter 36 Should a Cause Be Law?, 77,
Chapter 37 You Will Not Benefit Financially by Being in Office, 79,
Chapter 38 You Must Define Who You Are, 80,
Chapter 39 Use Time Wisely, 82,
Chapter 40 To Effect Change, Show up for Meetings, 84,
Chapter 41 Be a Statesperson, 86,
Chapter 42 Respect Your Colleagues, 88,
Chapter 43 Did I Do a Good Job?, 90,
Chapter 44 Do I Want to Do This Again?, 92,
Chapter 45 It Is Time to Quit, 94,
Chapter 46 A Term in Office Will Change You, 96,
Chapter 47 A Concluding Thought about Change, 98,
Epilogue, 101,
Appendices, 103,
CHAPTER 1
Being a Leader Is Not Easy
Public officials are leaders by way of their "elected" position.
There are people who become leaders by happenstance. They are usually community organizers who are known in the community for advocating either in support of or in opposition to a community interest. Citizens in the community began to seek out the community organizer for help because citizens see the community organizer as a leader.
Sometimes a community organizer decides that he can best advocate for a community interest by being a public official.
Being a leader, whether elected or appointed, is not easy. Every decision a leader makes is second-guessed. No leader has support of 100 percent of his followers; he will not even have the support of 100 percent of his supporters. The leader will have those who want him to fail. And some naysayers will actively campaign for the failure of the leader.
There will be times a leader will question his reasons for wanting to lead. This is so because even when a leader does good, his motive for doing good will be criticized and second-guessed. There will be those who will say the leader's action is selfish even when the leader's action is pure.
Nevertheless, a leader must do good; a leader must do what is right.
The role of a leader is not to win a popularity contest; a position of leadership demands taking a stance on issues that will best serve the community interest. Sometimes the right stance to be taken is not the popular stance. Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated that "the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." And, so it is with a leader. The leader must not be afraid to challenge the prevailing view, if it is wrong. A leader must do what is right. The leader's enthusiasm, loyalty, and devotion must always be on the side of "what is right" for those whose trust the leader has been given.
If one chooses to lead by holding an elective office, he has an option. He can be a politician holding an elective office, or he can be a public servant occupying a position of trust given to him by the community. There is a difference between a politician and a public servant. The politician is like a paper bag being blown by the wind; he takes no position on any matters of interest in the community, he is pushed about by the winds of complaints. The public servant takes a position on a matter of interest in the community; he is mindful of the opinions of others, and the opinions are part of the information used to reach a decision. The public servant does not seek comfort or convenience when making a decision; he seeks to insure that any decision reached is "what is right." He seeks to insure that any decision reached is fair and just.
CHAPTER 2
The Challenge to Do Something
The first question to be answered when considering a "run" for public office is, why do I want to be an elected official? This is a personal question. The question must be answered, and it must be answered truthfully.
The idea for running for public office may originate with someone other than the candidate; nevertheless, the decision to run must be the candidate's decision.
A former legislator tells the story of how he made his decision to run for public office, following a challenge given to him by his father.
The former legislator had completed his studies at the university. He had returned home to begin his work-life.
One day, the former legislator attended a community meeting. He was concerned about what was said at the community meeting. He told his father about the meeting and those matters he heard at the community meeting. In the conversation with his father, he repeated over and over the phrase "somebody ought to do something."
At the end of the visit with his father, as the former legislator was reaching for the front door, his father, who was walking to the door with him, grabbed his arm, looked him in the eyes, and asked, "Are you that somebody? Are you that somebody that we have been talking about this evening? Will you do something about the matters you care so passionately about?" The former legislator paused to consider the words of his father. Before he could respond, his father said in a calm reassuring tone, "I believe you are that somebody; be that somebody, do something."
On the night of his election, the former legislator recalled the story of the evening he shared his concerns with his father and his father's challenge to him to "be that somebody" and "do something." He told his audience that he accepted the challenge to run so that he could use the elected office to "do something" about the...
