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Can any joe soap run for office in america?

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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

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