If TG is elected, there is a risk that she might be tempted to put trusted figures from her childhood in positions of political power, and that patronage network might remain long after she is out of office.
Why do I hazard a guess that if elected, she might not be in office for more than a term--or two?
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forum.culteducation.com]
ELECTION TO PUBLIC OFFICE BRINGS INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY AND SCRUTINY
Will tell you that if one is elected to public office, one can no longer control media exposure. Dad can stay home with his acolytes, serving them helpings of toenail soup. But Tulsi, once elected, has to face reporters who have the right to ask questions and get answers.
What she says and how she votes will be on public record.
And its like being back in grade school. Your attendance is taken. Your absences are noted.
You become the junior member of the group you have been elected to. And you have to work in public to earn respect. Older eyes and long memories will be watching you.
Crises come up. One has to answer to constituents, answer to reporters.
Beyond a point, one cannot in public office, hide out behind one's entourage or behind staff members. Staff members will take the rap for you - for a while- but eventually, they become fed up.
Even if one is elected to public office and finds ways to staff an office mostly with those who share one's background and belief system, there are others working in the statehouse who have been there a long time.
Those others at the statehouse have powerbases of their own. They will see you and your entourage coming and going at all hours.
There is an infinity of ways to leak information to journalists.
You cannot scare or fire them. Guards and janitors see plenty, too. So do the file clerks. So do the administrative assistants. People work late hours at Congress and the statehouse and even at City Hall.
There are eyes and ears everywhere, and cell phone cameras.
These old timers know what is normal culture in Congress, in the statehouse (or in city hall, whatever city you get elected to). They will be quick to resent being shut out or shoved aside. They remember snubs--either your own or snubs carelessly administered by your inexperienced helpers.
And, lobbyists will have been at the statehouse for a long time. They remain while various officeholders come and go. They know what is normal culture vs abnormal for the statehouse. They cannot be scared off, either.
Here is an example of how scrutiny reveals personal troubles. In this case a long time congressman who had served in Washington with distinction, had difficulties when elected mayor of Oakland.
Unlike a private person--or for that matter, a guru, this man's work and his absences were soon noticed and reported on by the media.
Despite his fine work in Congress, Dellums had trouble functioning in his role as Mayor. He didnt make himself available to reporters. His wife took over a lot of matters that only the mayor was supposed to handle. His lack of availablity was greatly resented by his constituants, and by the media and contributed to a low morale at City Hall.
This was commented on. Boy was this commented on.
This is what one faces if one is elected to public office and fails to show up.
And...Dellums had won respect and affection during his very many years in Washington DC. People were genuinely sorry that he could not come through as Mayor.
But they didnt cut him any slack. Why? Because there were consequences. The welfare of an important city was suffering.
Attention had to be paid and was not.
The citizens, City Hall employees, and the journalists had plenty to say.
Mr Dellums was not re-elected.
Quote:
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