On Celebritys and Your Vote
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The people will save their government, if the government itself will allow them. Abraham Lincoln.
So there was this quote by Bono of U2. which i shall paraphrase “Sure, rock stars can’t change anything, but their audience is the one that can, because they elect the politicians that can.” That is a profound statement, to which i thought. “Wow, if only we cared that much.”
By that I mean, all politics is local. Go ahead, when you were casting your vote, name the rock/movie/charity that affected your vote. I would bet that many of you can’t tell me a single time its happened. Worse yet, i would have to say the majority of people can’t name a single charity or cause brad pit, Angelia Joliee or even Woody Harilson is advocating…, well, I doubt beyond “Africa.”
I am not saying they don’t highlight a charity, which get an obvious boost, but celebrity affect on elections is nill, just like the basic effect of endorsements. It helps some, but I’d say 1% or less, but negative press or negative endorsements hurt.
People care about what their local school board is doing. Which ethnic group is moving into their neighborhood, or which park is being demolished for a new shopping center. As the effect of the “Local” area spreads, aka, the more control the politician has, this also affects just how much people look outside themselves. Meaning, when someone is running for a legislature position people look at /also/ how he will affect their state; Presidents,how they will make the country look. Yeah, rock/ movie stars don’t even come close to hitting the radar.
I’d have to say what stars really bring to politicians is shame, and people. And Politicians really dislike shame -the shame they aren’t connected to the star’s cause- and people,which every politician needs. At least the democratic politicians.
Next time your in the ballot box, try to remember which celebrity star is going to influence you.., if you can even remember this Ocean Post.
OceansOfThought @ April 11, 2008