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Welcome to NEXTopia, a Web diary in which NEXT writers — and readers — share their evolving thoughts on a variety of issues. The opinions you read below are those of the individual writers, not necessarily those representing The Seattle Times.
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November 21, 2003

Re: Krist Novoselic's interest in running for Lt. Governor

I agree with Eric Deverick's opinion that ex-Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic would likely make a bad Lt. Governor, but definitely not because he is a celebrity, but because of his ideology.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a celebrity running for some sort of political office. Just like your average Joe Schmoe or politician X, to get one's vote you still have to prove that you know what you're talking about. If they can't prove that to at least some people, they won't get voted in, simple as that. People beg for "outsiders" to run for office because they're not corrupted, but they complain when a celebrity runs. Why? A celebrity has many of the same disadvantages of an "outsider," principally inexperience.

Besides, for everybody who complains about celebrity turned politicians, you can look into the mirror to figure out whom to blame. The current increase in celebrities running for office can largely be attributed to all the restrictive, unnecessary, and wrong campaign finance reform laws (like McCain-Feingold) that have been enacted.

If a candidate can't raise money, then he has to spend his own money. Obviously the rich and those with automatic name recognition (so they don't have to spend as much) benefit from that. The result? Incumbents, the super rich, and celebrities become the most likely candidates to be elected. You want less celebrities in the political system, well then start by taking a long hard look at repealing Senator McCain's "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act."

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Posted by Nigel Stark at November 21, 2003 09:17 AM


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