Forwarding the Conversation

“May Your Passing Illumination Become Your Abiding Light.” – Huston Smith

Is it possible to run a successful campaign that focuses on governance rather than victory? This is the question I will be tackling in the coming weeks as Senators McCain and Obama vie to be the next President of the United States. 

Reframing the Purpose

The purpose of a traditional political campaign is to get a particular candidate elected. It is based on this idea that I’ve often heard both cyncal campaigners and ivory tower idealists – and everyone in between – state that if you don’t get elected you can’t govern. It is true, if your purpose is to serve the public interest through elected office then you cannot do that without being elected.

I believe that in order to truly serve the public interest that we need to change the purpose of campaigns. The purpose of a campaign must be to position and individual to govern and serve the public to the best of his or her ability.

How do the negative ads and vitriolic rhetoric of the two political parties position candidates to serve in government? What do we expect from our candidates? 

In the next part of this thread I will talk about what, specifically, a campaign that has governance as its central focus looks like.  I will end with this video, which depicts a campaign decision based upon winning not governing…

Foreign Policy

Domestic Policy