Can any joe soap run for office in america?

[ITW [the irish boy]]

I was just wondering is it possible to run for political office in america if you are just an ordinary guy on an ordinary wage in an ordinary job? I dont mean going from no-one to govener, but i mean, can you work your way to the top without needing money?

I ask this because it seems that all the (prominent at least) politicians we see in the states seem to be from well off backgrounds and seem to be rich as a result of there position. In Ireland, where I live, politics is very much grassroots up, with most politicians coming from middle class or working class backgrounds depending on the area they represent. To run in an election to become a TD (member of parliament) you need nothing more than support. For instance the 4 TDs from my area, two live in council estates (government housing) and the other two own their own houses in the local housing estates. One lives on the same street as me. The politicians only get a decent wage (about 40000 per year, although rumours of corruption, like in any country swirl around). Even our Taoiseach (prime minister) still lives in the inner city, though I think he owns a 4 bedroom home. I believe this is the right way to do it because the politicians stay in touch with their communities and it allows normal people from normal homes to make a difference in politics.
Is it different in the states or am i just blinded by the stories of oil tycoons and movie stars taking office?? And if you do need to have power/money to run for office, do you believe this is right/wrong?

[pappy]

any ordinary joe can run for office as long as he has the funds to do it.  a lot of politicians do work there way up some are just there b/c they are business tycoons or celebrities of some soughts.  i would stay the odds are generally stacked against an everyday joe working an everyday job but it still happens from time to time.  it isnt like what you see on the news where all political positions are bought.  its not all popularity contest like the media portrays.  sometimes it is tho

[Don Jacob]

anyone who meets the requirements for a certain position can run for any office. you just got to have a lot of support.....and the way you manage to get that this day and age is get your face on tv by buying tv time, or winning over a newspaper (Cough cough La times cough cough cough Gray Davis cough cough) so that's why it seems a lot of politicians come from well off back grounds because they can fund , for the most part, themselves. but you can have 4 billion dollars (like ross perot) and still lose.  I don't beleive Clinton was fed with a silver spoon in Arkansas or Bustamante for that matter so there are a lot of people who got to where they're at by working their way up. Actually when i think about it most Democrats don't really come from rich backgrounds.......but most Republicans do.......and the republicans are starting to take over this country so maybe that's why you think all the politians over here are rich a-holes.

[Real American]

Irish Thug....are you ever going to get tired of your never ending crusade to bash America? What is the deal with you Europeans?

To answer your questions.......yes, of course anyone in America can become a politician regardless of their background. For God's sake, Bill Clinton was poor white trash who grew up without a father and he went on to become frigging president of the most powerful naiton in the history of the world.

[AWS SS 88]

anybody can run for president,as long as theyre 35 years old,born in the US,and lived in the country for 12 years i think. im sure there are other requirements,but you know.......whatever lol

the problem is the average american dooesnt have enough money to campaign and things of that nature

[hypnotic]

I think all you needed to run for governor of CAli was 50 signatures. To be recognized and win you need money, connections, and publicize yourself excessively.

[Trauma-san]

Abraham Lincoln: Broke as hell, became one of the Greatest American presidents ever.

Bill Clinton: Broke as hell, became one of the ... Well, one of the presidents.

It can happen to you

Typically what happens is an intelligent person is born.  He runs for a local office in his twenties, and works his way up the ladder, gaining success and money along the way.  Eventually, he's a governor, and has wisely invested his money to the point where he's independently wealthy, and then with the small amount of wealth he has, and the connections he has made over the years, he runs for office, with the backing of the democratic or republican national committee, who can raise money for him.  

[pappy]

Bill Clinton: Broke as hell, became one of the ... Well, one of the presidents.

he was an is a better president than george bush an his son gerorde dubbya

[ITW [the irish boy]]

Hahaha cwalker, i wasnt bashing america in any way. I didnt come and say "In america you have to be rich to be a politician". I observed that this is the way it is portrayed to us, and then I asked for americans who know the system better to clear up the issue, which they have.

From what Ive read above it is in fact very like the system we have here, although politicians rarely get rich (unless through corrupt means). I think this is due to the fact that constituencies are small and there are no tv advertisments for politicians. The only expenses are the election posters and leaflets, which are funded by the party. But it is exactly as trauma said above, you start maybe on a residents commitee, then local council, then if you get nominated by the party you can run for government, and eventually after a few years you could be elected as Taoiseach. I think it is probably easier here because the population is only 3 million, so you dont have to reach an audience hundreds of miles away etc.

[Z the laidback Virus]

Abraham Lincoln: Broke as hell, became one of the Greatest American presidents ever.

Bill Clinton: Broke as hell, became one of the ... Well, one of the presidents.

It can happen to you

Typically what happens is an intelligent person is born.  He runs for a local office in his twenties, and works his way up the ladder, gaining success and money along the way.  Eventually, he's a governor, and has wisely invested his money to the point where he's independently wealthy, and then with the small amount of wealth he has, and the connections he has made over the years, he runs for office, with the backing of the democratic or republican national committee, who can raise money for him.  

I'd like to add to that that people running for a political job in America these days often have companies backing and sponsoring them.This is especially true of presidents.  I don't know if it's true but I've heard that wether automats in the White House give Pepsi or Coca Cola depends on wether the present First Man is a republican or a democrat.

I allways say it,it are the big companies that are the real government.They've got much more political power then you'd dare imagine.