How to Become a Politician
This site features easy concepts, intuitive ideas, and helpful links to understand how to really become a politician. "Become a Politician" is an easy guide to becoming a local, state, or national politician. Learn how to get involved with a political party, campaign and what are the necessary characteristics of politicians.
Table of Contents - Becoming a Politician
Stumble It!- Essential Political Books: Must Reads for Every Politician
- Get involved with a Political Party
- Campaign Tips
- Necessary Characteristics for Becoming a Politician
- Warnings:
- Wait Wait... Do Tell Me
- Poltician's are...
- Get Your Campaign Gear Here
- Important Political Links
- Political Brick Wall
- Reader Comments
Essential Political Books: Must Reads for Every Politician
Here are a few books which are helpful in the process of preparing to run for a political office.
Get involved with a Political Party
The most important step to beginning a political career is to get involved with a Political Party
Political Parties are a means by which politicians, voters, and platforms can be united. Under the banner of a political party politicians generally vote, and act upon the influence and platform (ideology) of the Party and Party officials.Voters often choose who to vote for based upon which party the Politician is affiliated with and not always the ideals of the politician. This is especially evident in local and state elections where the politician campaigning is less recognizable to the voters.
The United States is a multi-party system, but favors two parties in particular. These political parties are the Republicans (Grand Old Party-GOP) and the Democratic Party. The majority of all legislatures and executive branch members on the national and state level are only from these two political parties. If you are interested in looking at multiple parties you can check out 25 political party websites here: Political Parties
The importance of getting involved in your party is to meet like-minded people that will help you in the future to get elected to different offices. This becomes important because the party is the life-blood to your early elections, and the only way to become President.
Ways to get involved
Help the party by volunteering to help your neighbors register to vote. Look for donations for local candidates and the party itself. Go to conventions on the state and local levels. Go to town hall meetings and other political meetings held by the party.
Meet the leadership of the party through emails, phone calls, or personal visits. Know your local officials and candidates. Be of service to them. Meet State legislators and get involved in the issues they face.
Campaign Tips
A list of tips to guide your campaign
1. Know why you are running! This is what will motivate you and voters will want to know.2. Know why you are better than your opponent and be able to explain it to others well. Your opponent most likely has great attributes as well so do not discount them, just explain clearly why you would be a better choice.
3. In the beginning hold small private meetings with possible volunteers and fundraisers. Be specific about your ideas and your goals. Get them behind you. Tell them what they are really in-store for. Let them know your expectations. Then find out theirs.
4. Fundraise night and day! A politician, while campaigning is nothing more than a full-time fundraiser. When you are meeting people fundraise. When you are driving, sitting, or not in meetings call and fundraise. Money is the life-blood of your campaign. Good ideas and strong values wont get you elected if you can't share them with others.
5. Fill your staff positions with volunteers. This could mean recruiting at local colleges, community centers, high school government classes, etc. You can find skilled graphic artists, web designers, flyer distributors, and phone callers this way. Don't pay anyone you don't have too! This will save you lots of money and allow you to spread your message further.
6. Save money everywhere you can. Get discounts for buying in bulk. Look for ways to save money constantly. If you are always fundraising, it seems like a waste to be misusing your hard earned donations.
7. Be transparent. The donations you receive need to be recorded. Know when, where, and who gave you the money. Also know where it will be going. This is not only the law, but a great way to be throughout your political career. People feel like they can trust you.
8. Have a budget and most importantly stick to it!
9. Know what your constituency really thinks. It is important that you stick to your values, but you need to know what values voters want to hear about!
10. Listen. Too often politicians spend time talking and not enough time listening. Listening is often where your greatest ideas will come from. Listen to advisers, friends, family, and especially voters and other politicians. Don't be afraid to listen to your adversaries. Just because someone does not agree with you, does not mean that all their ideas and solutions are bad.
Stumble It! Politicians and "the People"
Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. He who molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or decisions possible or impossible to execute.
Abraham Lincoln
Necessary Characteristics for Becoming a Politician
- Confidence
In yourself, message, reasons for running, platform, values, staff, party, experience, abilities,and other necessary skills listed below. - Ability to Analyze objectively
This means evaluating yourself, constituency, legislative body, agency, contemporaries, opponents, media, and party. It is not just evaluating, but also doing so without personal interests and feelings of included parties. - Speaking Skills
They come in a different variety: average joe, teleprompter, off-the-cuff, emotional, charismatic, etc. - Writing Skills
Politicians write a lot... as much as you think that they just get someone else to do it, they do a lot on their own. Especially local and state officials. Politicians write briefs, summaries, letters, proposals, bills, agendas, platforms, speeches, campaign material, biographies, personal statements, recommendation letters, etc. - Editing skills
For those times when you are not the original writer. It is valuable to be able to edit important writing materials by staff members. - Intelligence
After some of the politicians you have seen, this one seems obvious that you cannot do the job without it! - Cooperation
Nothing ever gets done in politics without it. You hear too many "I will..." and not enough "Together...",and "We will.."
Warnings:
*Avoid making enemies, they will come naturally.
*Rudeness is always wrong and is not the same as confidence.
*Be sure of who you are, not what they want you to be.
Wait Wait... Do Tell Me
A great blog about Politics, Policy and Public Analysis
Meet W.W. the Hamster. He's the mascot of Wait Wait... Do Tell Me. Hot Topics on this blog include the economy, health care, the stimulus package, campaigning and current events.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byPoltician's are...
Politicians really are...
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byDirty scum bags
julcal says:
I have to admit to being skeptical because I know people on "The Hill" The things that go on are even worse than the things we find out about. From my limited personal experience, the first priority is power, second is helping people.
Posted January 15, 2009
LordoftheFlies says:
Often bad... Not sure that any of them have the "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" goodness anymore. Maybe they never did!
Posted January 15, 2009
aj2008 says:
They are people who start out with the best of intentions but the minute they realise they could actually become very powerful, then they turn into dirty scumbags.You only have to look at what is going on in the UK at the moment (19 September 2008) to realise that the majority of politicians have the potential to evolve into Brutus - you know, the guy who stabbed Julius Caesar in the back!
Posted September 19, 2008
Faiz says:
Most of the politicians look for their own good. They first think of their profit and then for the people. Many of them lie and are also involved in serious crimes. So I will say that politicians are dirty scum bags.
Posted August 31, 2008
People trying to do good
jwallin2380 says:
Peole who should stand up for rights and be a voice for the people. Politicians should lead by example and practice what they preach. Politicians should be honest, trustworthy, repectful, caring and reponsible.
Posted May 30, 2009
Louis_Dubois says:
Really good people (most of the time)that want to do good. Unfortunatly, power corrupts and unless you come from a strong moral and ethical background, even then the temptation is fantastic. To win, you most stretch the truth and have your people go out and get dirt on your opponent.
Sex scandals are ALWAYS effective.
Posted October 06, 2008
andrphilip says:
are mostly ordinary people trying to represent their respective constituencies. Unfortunately, some let their position go to their head and lose perspective.
Posted September 06, 2008
The_Party_Animal says:
It all depends on who you speak of - I can go either way, but I think most try and do good - even with the bad eggs
Posted August 31, 2008
Seth1492 says:
They definitely come with there problems. I really feel that they are trying to do what's best though.
Posted August 27, 2008
Get Your Campaign Gear Here
A great place to find brick and mortar ways of advertising yourself
- Running for Office? Try Our Customized Campaign Gear - Yards Signs, Banners, Buttons, Stickers, More
- TheDesignWheel.com offers a full line of customizable campaign gear if you run for office. From Yard Signs, Banners, Buttons, T-Shirts, and Much More. We hope you will allow us the opportunity to help make your campaign hopes a reality.
American Democracy and Classic Liberalism
Now if you are a Republican, don't turn away... You are a classic liberal too!
The Liberal Tradition in America
America is based upon liberalism, not left or right, but true liberalism. Republicans and Democrats both fit under this category of political thought. Read the book and find out why.
Amazon Price: $11.25 (as of 07/10/2009) 
Important Political Links
Great websites that offer lots of information on the American political process
The White House
Whitehouse.gov is the official web site for the Wh more...3 points
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress. The Library of Congress i more...2 points
Supreme Court of the United States
The Judicial Branch of the United States governmen more...2 points
U.S. Senate
Home page of the United States Senate.1 point
How to View the World - Register to Vote
Shows the 4 easy steps to registering to vote. Al more...1 point
Running for Office? Try Our Customized Campaign Gear - Yards Signs, Banners, Buttons, Stickers, More
TheDesignWheel.com offers a full line of customiza more...1 point
United States House of Representatives
Home page of the United States House of Representa more...0 points
National Conference of State Legislatures
Organization that unifies the State Legislatures o more...0 points
How to View the World - Political Parties
List most U.S. political parties with links to the more...0 points
Federal Executive Branch: USA.gov
USA.gov: Federal Executive Branch -- Directory of more...0 points
My Plan to Becoming President of the United States
- My Plan to Becoming the President of the United States
- Don't like the way America is going? Do politicians seem to be out of touch? Corruption too rampant? Your values not represented? Do you feel you have solutions? Then Become the President of the United States!
Political Brick Wall
It hurts, doesn't it
Your campaign can stagnate fast if you are not careful. It only takes a few days to loose the momentum you have been working for all along. Often political campaigns are plagued with early efforts and a period of withdrawals. Volunteers dry up, donates cease to exist, and within a week you are broke.That's when the polls change too! Don't hit the brick wall. Remember, campaigns are like sprint races. Watch a 100 meter run sometime. Athletes give everything for under 10 seconds! The key though is that they hold nothing back.
Likewise your campaign is short. It is no more than a year, unless it is Presidential, and requires you to give everything for the entire duration.
Stumble It! More helpful Books to get you started!
Some very important how-to guides, and political philosophy
Reader Comments
Come on, you know you want too!
drockel wrote
Like it, but it's lacking some minor details.
Sure it's great to be ideal, but if you watch cspan you hear about the 500 page documents being dropped on peoples desks at 3 am in the morning to be voted on that very day.
Maybe some tips on how to read the legaleze of these documents let alone common tricks played to destroy new politicians would be helpful for those of us really considering changing things up.
Posted July 10, 2009
schofieldml wrote...
Great lens! You have put together a lot of good information here. I am adding it to my lens roll on Modern Whig Party lens.
Posted March 24, 2009
MikeMac wrote...
Lots of food for thought. Good content and some very interesting books to dig into. Don't believe that I will run for office anytime soon but I do enjoy keeping myself informed. thanks.
Posted March 16, 2009
sherridan wrote...
Good for you Seth...you are already raising your profile effectively!
Please do me the honour of submitting this lens to my group 'Career and Work Oracle' because it contains some really helpful information.
Onwards!
Sherridan
Posted February 28, 2009
julcal wrote...
Looks like we have a young politician in the making. Well thought out lens. Thought-provoking. Excellent lens! *****
~ Julie
Posted January 15, 2009
Albert Einstein
"It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs."
