It’s a Shame, This Name Game

Confess now, the last time you voted were you prepared? Think before you answer. I know you knew who your choice was for the big job. You’d made your mind up a long time before you walked into the booth. And, the VP choice was then made automatically.

No, I mean did you know who all those other folks were down the ballot? Try it today and see how you do. Do you know who your congressman is? What are the names of your two US Senators? Who is the Lt. Governor of your state? County Commissioner? State legislature representatives? If you didn’t do too well on this, you don’t need to feel very bad. The pitiful fact is that most Americans take great pride in announcing that they do their citizenly duty, but they don’t really know what it is that they’ve done.

Think now about election campaigns. As you drive around town during the silly season of elections you see signs on street corners and faces on billboards. They catch your eye and urge you to vote for Joe Bagadonutz. They might even tell you if Joe is a Republican or a Democrat. They don’t tell you what Joe stands for or what he’s going to do for you. You seldom know what his policies will be and you never hear what he’s done before to qualify himself for high office.

Very probably you simply notice that Mr. Bagadonutz seems to be quite popular since he’s got a lot of signs around the neighborhood. Must mean that the folks that really know something think he’s good. Hence, by some sort of halo effect, Joe gets your vote.

That’s why this editorial by Froma Harrup is so good: The Name Game Shame

It certainly escapes me why anyone would vote for Jimmy Carter’s son. It particularly seems a poor choice for the good folks of Nevada to be voting for Jack for Senator. Can anyone beside me remember the term “carpetbagger”? But, I’ll bet that ol’ Jack makes a pretty good showing.

Froma points out the number of famous folks who’ve won the election lottery in the past. How about Sonny Bono for Congress? Well, it becomes a bit understandable if you’ve ever spent much time in California. But Sonny as a Republican? Wow!!! It got a whole lot worse, though when Sonny ran into a tree while skiing and didn’t survive. Then, based on little more than name recognition his widow got elected to the seat where she continues to serve. Qualification? Dunno.

Is Ahhhnald “The Terminator” qualified to be governor of California? Well, after Gray Davis, he couldn’t be much worse. But was it a careful evaluation of his experience, his policy proposals and his conformity to the ideology of the majority of voters that got him elected? Or, was it simply that they knew the name and liked Conan the Barbarian.

Well, we’ve got it cranking up here in Texas. A governor’s race is on this year and we’re gonna have a real sideshow. The state is pretty much a Republican fiefdom with both houses of the legislature as well as the governor’s seat in the hands of the Grand Ol’ Party. Both US Senators as well and a majority of the Congress-critters too! Part of that is thanks to a redistricting engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, but it pretty well reflects the electorate.

But, we’ve got a challenge to Rick Perry, the Republican governor from within his own party—well, sort of. The Comptroller, a “tough grandmother” according to her own campaign, is challenging the incumbent. She’s a Republican. Well, she used to be a Democrat, but she switched. And, she’s running as an independent. And, she hasn’t really said what she’s for, only that she’s against Perry. Can you say opportunist? Can you say ideologically uncommitted? Can you say unprincipled politically? I knew that you could.

There’s a couple of Democrats duking it out as well. Most pundits don’t give them much of a chance.

The real entertainment is coming from Kinky Friedman. Maybe you recall Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, his musical group? Or, maybe not. Go Kinky

Well, he’s got a black hat, a fine moustache, and an unlit cigar always clenched in his hand. He’s got personality and a lot of great one-liners about politics. When he talks about being governor, he’ll usually note, “how hard could it be?” His tee-shirts resonate with the message, “no teacher left behind” and his campaign is raising money hand over fist.

Will he get elected? I don’t know. First he’s got to collect more than 50,000 signatures of registered Texas voters who did not vote in the Texas primary. “Save Yourself for Kinky” is a serious campaign slogan since he needs people to stay home on election day to be available for petition signing.

Will he have reasonable policies and be able to establish himself with the voters? Last governor’s race there was a significant percentage that didn’t see enough difference between Tweedledum and Tweedledee to get out and vote. They’re the ones contributing now and they will be the ones who vote for Kinky in November.

Can he govern? We might just find out. Jesse Ventura managed the feat in Minnesota and surprised a lot of people when he turned out to be reasonably capable. Kinky might just have enough name recognition to do the job in Texas.

I won’t be surprised, but I will be a little bit apprehensive. Not a lot, but a little. After all, how hard could it be?