Rotten Jobs

Democracy is the greatest thing but when you read about the US caucuses it does make you wonder how we managed to get to this lowest common denominator approach to politics. Obama wins one caucus and Hilary decides to get aggressive. This mud-slinging continues until the least dirty candidate battles his or her equally-besmirched opposite number and one of them emerges in the White House. The least unelectable wins through. Then the next day that person has to get up and convince the world that he or she is the right person to lead the free world. What a process - what a job. We saw the same thing in the UK last week when Stephen Carter took the job as Brown's top advisor. Very quickly the papers went to the archives to see what they could dig up. There aren't many people in the UK with both the public and private sector experience and the youth and commitment to do such a job. Not that you would know that from the press coverage. Every time it happens it make it less likely that the really able people choose politics as a career. I know I wouldn't fancy it - even if I had the desire and capability!