I saw these signs in front of Walgreen's at Chapman Avenue at Raymond Avenue in Fullerton. With the June 8th Primary approaching quickly, I thought it would be good to remind my friends what it means to be a carpetbagger in Orange County.
Back on February 3, 2010 I told you about Carpetbaggers and Their Luggage. The term carpetbagging refers to a politician who runs for public office in an area in which he or she is not originally from and/or has only lived for a very short time. It is implied that the politician does not fully appreciate or understand issues facing the constituents in the new jurisdiction. The politician assumes that he or she knows best how to lead and manage the affairs of the servient tenement. This arrogant elitist attitude is prevalent in carpetbaggers as the swoop in to a community to "save" them from their own undoing.
Of course, this assumes that the carpetbagger's intentions are pure. However, qualities related to purity as they may also relate to politicians are on their face questionable for a myriad of reasons. I don't think anyone would necessarily want a politician that has NEVER strayed or deviated from what their constituents might believe to be core values. Rather, I believe that constituents with certain life experience look for those and identify with others who have had similar experience. Therefore, constituents look for familiarity at the expense of purity. I believe when a politician sets their political platform's bar too high, constituents see this as a fraud being perpetrated on them by an outsider. This higher-than-thou attitude is painfully obvious and seems to me to encourage a disingenuous pretense. False purity in a politician has the same inverse effect on people as does someone who has to stoop to see through the eyes of their constituents that which is clear and obvious to all but the politician.
Looking inside the carpetbag we find an opportunistic political predator. They tend to be career politicians who are either termed out or are simply looking for a promotion. A politician facing term limits and who chooses to run for another office within their jurisdiction, I believe is an unfortunate fact we are faced with. However, when the politician is so desperate that they seek offices outside of their jurisdiction, we have to question their loyalty to and understanding of the people for whom they wish to represent.
An important point to mention is that carpetbagging, so far as I know is not a crime. Although I am not an attorney, I can think of no law in California that says a candidate shall be a resident of a jurisdiction for a specific period of time prior to seeking election to a public office within a given jurisdiction. So, for the sake of discussion, we must assume that the carpetbagger has not committed perjury by stating a false address on their voter registration form thereby committing a crime. Absent the fraud and perjury, what is it that makes carpetbagging an undesirable trait? I return your direction to the second paragraph above:
"The term carpetbagging refers to a politician who runs for public office in an area in which he or she is not originally from and/or has only lived for a very short time. It is implied that the politician does not fully appreciate or understand issues facing the constituents in the new jurisdiction. The politician assumes that he or she knows best how to lead and manage the affairs of the servient tenement."
How do you know that "the politician does not fully appreciate or understand issues facing the constituents"? Just ask them detailed and specific questions about some of the issue on your mind. If you are concerned with government spending, ask them what will be the first program that is cut? If you are concerned that the local women & children's shelter will get cut, ask them what they plan to do to save it. Be direct and listen to their answer. A politician worth your vote will likely have one of two answers. Either they are sympathetic to your concern and will give a detailed response or they will quickly and directly admit that they know nothing about your concern but are willing to learn more before making any hasty decisions. Conversely, if they stutter and search their notes for the answers, you need not give them your vote. These are true with any candidate; you have to learn who they are and what they represent.
The consummate carpetbagger will try in vein to hide or discount the relevance of being deemed a carpetbagger, but it is important to understand just how significant the negative impact of carpetbagging really is. Carpetbagging is an indication of a candidates lack of ethics and their insincerity towards the office they seek and the constituents they represent. In my opinion, carpetbagging is prima facie evidence contrary to that of traditional conservatism. In fact, carpetbagging is rather strong evidence of a liberal philosophy that concedes a candidates position on certain topics is sufficient reason to vote for them without regard for the candidates clearly unethical behavior. I believe this to be a strong indicator of a serious character flaw.
This June 8th, I hope you will take a moment to consider all of the implications resulting from your vote for a carpetbagger and the detriment it will place on our community.
Now for some fun! Can you identify these carpetbaggers?This June 8th, I hope you will take a moment to consider all of the implications resulting from your vote for a carpetbagger and the detriment it will place on our community.
And in case you missed a history lesson:
Northern General Milton S. Littlefield,
"The Prince of Carpetbaggers"
This former general was notorious for his role in the North Carolina railroad frauds. He was aided and abetted in his schemes by Wilmington carpetbagger George Z. French and fellow Northern general and carpetbagger Joseph C. Abbott, who came ashore at Fort Fisher in February, 1865.
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