I'd love to see a politician commit political suicide for America's sake.

[Philosoraptor]

What a fantasy, to see a politician stand up against his own fear of being re-elected, or worse, of being unpopular, or painfully honest.

Some candidate who really isn't concerned about his own monstrous salary or his being re-elected, but someone who will be brutally honest, no matter the political cost.

So many politicians are afraid to speak the truth aloud. Here's one small example. Say a candidate proposed legalizing marijuana because it harms the nation to be constantly arresting and imprisoning people over it, and because it's no more harmful than cigs or whiskey. This person would lose in a landslide, yet he'd have spoken the truth.

Or, if a politician dared to suggest that the minimum wage be 15 dollars an hour, he or she'd be laughed out of DC.

Like right now, I wish some candidate or senator or congressman would stand up and say out loud, fearlessly, boldly, openly with no regard to his or her political career and say that we need to remove the neo cons immediately, under constitutional emergency, before the nation collapses under fascism. But who has the guts to say it?

"I voted FOR the war, because I was a fool, I was tricked by assholes, and I myself was one when I went along with it, I was wrong, the war is wrong, and now I just want to do what's best for my country".

I guess this is a fantasy, politicians don't seem to care about the good of the nation anymore, all they care about is limos, fine dining, hobnobbing, jet setting, glad handing, speaking tours, interviews, all at our expense, and of course, getting re-elected.

I'd like to see somebody inside the cabal come forward and say, 'you know what, enough is enough with these assholes, I'm spilling the beans'. I'd like to see some politician commit political suicide for the sake of America, and start a revolution.

[cassiepriam]

1. I have thought the same thing. Why so few profiles in courage?

Can anyone stand up and do the right thing?

Speak the truth, have courage and wisdom?
For the sake of the American people?
For the sake of the world and future generations?

So much at stake.

[hobbit709]

2. The difference

between a statesman and a politician: A statesman looks ahead to the next generation-a politician can't see past the next election. We have way too many politicians and hardly any statesmen.

[bklyncowgirl]

3. That would be a lovely thing, Philosoprapter, I'd like to see it too.

Sadly, that is not going to happen. Most politicians who believe as you do rationalize their acquiescence to political expediency by saying that anyone replacing them would be infinitely worse--they're probably right

I guess one of our favorite political fantasies is that someone--usually someone from outside of the political establishment--comes along, speaks truth to power and is greeted with enthusiasm by a populace desperate for leadership.

The sad reality is that this truth teller would be eviscerated by the media--HOW DARE HE!--and targeted by interest groups. In the end he or she becomes a laughingstock.

Maybe some day we'll get desperate enough to see through this nonsense and support our best interests--we may be almost there--but I don't think we're quite at that point yet.

[Cocoa]

4. courage is there; it's being ignored

people are more interested in punishing the bad politicians than in recognizing the good ones. And when they lose, they are trashed rather than being acknowledged.

[screembloodymurder]

5. Bob Barr just went libertarian.

But he's not in office.

[JohnnyLib2]

6. Rep. Barbara Jordan's speech during Nixon hearings --

I don't think it resulted in political suicide, but to me, it set a standard for all that follow.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

7. To some extent, e.g Kuchinich and Feingold have and continue to do so.

They've both adopted positions sufficiently far to the left to destroy whatever presidential ambitions either of them may ever have had, but in so doing they've moved the political spectrum a notch to the left, meaning that other politicians can adopt position that would otherwise make them unelectable on the grounds of being regarded as extremists and still have a chance of winning.

Someone's always got to lead the peleton.

[genie_weenie]

8. Getting re-elected is worth much more than some Soldiers Arm...

Soldiers are expendable cogs to be moved and sacrificed in the great game of power (money) politics...

[annabanana]

9. witness this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RvLL--vSsA

[Katzenjammer]

10. Kucinich did exactly that in Cleveland in the late '70s when he refused to sell off MunyLight

the publicly-owned electric company. He has never been able to completely recover from that act of bravery because the corporatocracy never forgives or forgets.

[eridani]

14. He may be doing that again right now

His constituents were less than thrilled with his last run, and I'm sure they don't appreciate this one. If we want the rest of the Dems to move in his direction, we need to support him.

[I_Will]

11. There are some for whom I'd have to ask...

...why restrict it to "political"? Any reason would be good enough for me.

:evilgrin:

[fhqwhgads]

12. i was gonna say...

...sometimes i think i'd like to see a politician commit ACTUAL suicide for america's sake. maybe some non-politicians too. on tv. during prime-time. right in the middle of american idol.

:evilgrin:

[Philosoraptor]

13. Dr. Kevorkian will soon be free.

[ecstatic]

15. Cynthia McKinney already tried it... It didn't work, of course

As we all know... Not only is Bush still in office and questions about 911 still unanswered, but her own party didn't even have her back. Even people on these boards tear her a new one daily. So, just to play devil's advocate--why should people put their careers on the line when it will be so completely unappreciated?