Tom Hochschild 

Some of my childhood heroes include basketball player Larry Bird, actor Bruce Willis and musician Stevie Wonder. 

Are these great entertainers? Absolutely. Should they be elected to political office to make decisions of local, national or global importance? Not unless they have demonstrated the intelligence and morals necessary to do so. 

Celebocracy, or rule by celebrities, has become common in the U.S. as a consequence of new media technologies, a large appetite for media entertainment and built-in fan bases for celebrity politicians.

Actors such as Ronald Reagan, Arnold “The Terminator” Schwarzenegger and Clint Eastwood went from reading movie scripts to teleprompters after successful political bids. Reality television stars Donald Trump (”The Apprentice”) and Sean Duffy (”The Real World”) used their fame as springboards into political office.

Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Jim Bunnings, Dave Bing, Jack Kemp, Bill Bradley, Kevin Johnson and Glenn “Kane” Jacobs won political offices by successfully transforming their sports fans into voters. Sonny Bono, from “I Got You, Babe” musical fame, became the mayor of Palm Springs, Calif., and a U.S. House representative. Comedian Al Franken turned laughs into votes to become a U.S. senator for Minnesota. 

Recognizing that celebrities have major advantages in political campaigns, many voters unsuccessfully pleaded with media mogul Oprah Winfrey to run against President Trump in the 2020 election.

Even at the local level, name recognition and notoriety are often parleyed into electoral victories. Voters in local elections often support candidates with generational roots in a town. Buildings and streets with a candidate’s last name provide invaluable free advertising; however, local lineage does not necessarily equip a candidate to address a town’s problems. 

Voters may also support a local candidate who was popular in high school; however, that candidate may have been popular for reasons other than good character or intelligence. 

Candidates may also get votes by showing up to religious service regularly; however, sitting in a pew does not necessarily translate into morality or compassion.

Carpenters serve an important role in society; however, it’s unwise to hire one to perform your open-heart surgery. Veterinarians are trained to ensure that our pets stay healthy, but it’s generally not a good idea to hire one to repair your automobile. Good heart surgeons and mechanics have spent years honing their skills. 

Similarly, being an adept political leader requires a knowledge of how government agencies operate, problem-solving skills, communication skills, diplomacy and self-control. Many people, including celebrities, never develop these skills or knowledge.

As we prepare to cast our votes in the 2020 election, let’s refrain from the temptations of national and local celebrity, and ensure that the candidates we vote for have proven that they can behave ethically, listen to diverse constituent viewpoints, balance budgets, get roads fixed and ensure that the needs of the underserved are met.

 

Tom Hochschild lives in Valdosta.