Poll: Two Thirds Want Their Kids to Stay Out of Politics

Shocking...I know! According to a recent Gallup political poll, two thirds of American’s polled (@2,000) said they do NOT want their kids in politics.

By a 2-to-1 margin, 64% to 31%, Americans would not like their child to go into politics as a career. The results are the same whether the question is asked about a "child," a "son," or a "daughter." There has been little change in the percentage of Americans who would favor a political career for their son or daughter over the past two decades.

www.gallup.com...

Not a big surprise here! Most people have an unfavorable opinion about those darn ‘politicians’ and rightfully so. Though these results aren’t very surprising, I did find some of the individual stats rather interesting and I’d like to get everyone else's impressions. There are some significant differences in responses between different races.

Among non-white adults, 42 percent would like to see their son go into politics, and 45 percent would support that career for their daughters. Among whites, the numbers are 26 percent support for sons and 25 percent for daughters.

www.newsmax.com...

I’m curious why “non-whites” are more inclined to seek office than whites. I have an opinion but I'd like to hear others first. And then there is this:



Notice the large spike @ 1964-1965. Understandable considering we’d just lost a POTUS to assassination and the Vietnam War protests were beginning to gain steam. However, since the mid 1970’s, the number has flat-lined. With NDAA, SOPA, ACTA, Patriot Act, NSA spying, continuous and contentious wars in the ME, etc over the past decade, I’m very surprised there hasn’t been at least a little spike since. Is this proof that Americans really are asleep at the wheel?

Thoughts?

Sounds very smart, don't encourage your kids to fight for freedom and liberty and let tyranny prevail. Maybe Americans do need to be re-educated.

reply to post by eXia7

Sounds very smart, don't encourage your kids to fight for freedom and liberty and let tyranny prevail. Maybe Americans do need to be re-educated.

That’s kind of the way I was feeling. With everything going on today, you’d think more people would be getting into politics to stop this madness. Not to downplay the reasons for the protests in the 60’s but…NDAA, NSA, etc???????? Come on! Wake up, people!

Apparently we’ve been sufficiently conditioned because there’s been hardly a flinch!

reply to post by seabag


Politics used to be about serving your neighbor, representing your neighborhood, becoming a public servant. Now it is less popular than being a professional "goat-raper" (or am I being redundant?)

Cost and social engineering has made professional politics an unobtainable profession that is currently filled with self-serving, bloviating, egotistical, megalomaniacs.

The problem is that the scum currently walking the hallowed halls of our state and federal capitals won't allow laws to be passed that would make politics more obtainable to regular folks.

reply to post by seabag


Could be the fact after centuries of not having any control over society, minorities have a more realistic view of how to effect change...Seems to me that the 75% of white americans who wouldn't support their children if they went into politics aren't exactly being truthful. I mean do you really think that 75% of the white people in the country would be upset if there child got a respectable career like a congressman or gov.?

The part you left out of your post homie, was that gallup and rassmusen are very conservative polls, add that in with the fact that it only has a sample size of 1000, and it's obvious at least the percent of the population this is supposed to account for is at best questionable.

You can't really expect a conservative poll to give you an accurate feel for the percentage of white america that is anti government....It would be like using a liberal poll to find out how americans feel about G.W. (bush).

reply to post by artemisminion

Could be the fact after centuries of not having any control over society, minorities have a more realistic view of how to effect change...Seems to me that the 75% of white Americans who wouldn't support their children if they went into politics aren't exactly being truthful. I mean do you really think that 75% of the white people in the country would be upset if there child got a respectable career like a congressman or gov.?

Apparently many parents don’t like the idea of their kids entering politics. That’s what the poll indicates. Do you have kids? I don’t think I’d like my children in politics.

The part you left out of your post homie, was that rassmusen is a very conservative poll, add that in with the fact that it only has a sample size of 1000, and it's obvious at least the percent of the population this is supposed to account for is at best questionable.

What does conservatism have to do with a random poll? The question was very generic, homie. And the sample size wasn’t 1,000.

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted June 20-24, 2013, with a random sample of 2,048 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

www.gallup.com...

You can't really expect a conservative poll to give you an accurate feel for the percentage of white america that is anti government....It would be like using a liberal poll to find out how americans feel about G.W. (bush).

You’re just being ridiculous now. This is another example of attacking the source rather than addressing the issue. What are you afraid of?

reply to post by beezzer

Politics used to be about serving your neighbor, representing your neighborhood, becoming a public servant. Now it is less popular than being a professional "goat-raper" (or am I being redundant?)

I’m not sure goat raping would score that high….yet.

Cost and social engineering has made professional politics an unobtainable profession that is currently filled with self-serving, bloviating, egotistical, megalomaniacs.

The problem is that the scum currently walking the hallowed halls of our state and federal capitals won't allow laws to be passed that would make politics more obtainable to regular folks.

If it was a money issue then why are non-whites more inclined to send their kids into the fray?

According to a study by Sentier Research, a firm specializing in income statistics, non-Hispanic whites reaped 76 percent of the nation’s total wages and other income from 2008 to 2010, even though they accounted for 64 percent of the population. The income share was down slightly from 78 percent in mid-decade, reflecting the diminishing percentage of the non-Hispanic white population.

Asian Americans, who make up about 5 percent of the population, earned a slightly higher share of total income — less than a percentage point more. But blacks and Hispanics, the two largest minority groups, earned considerably less than a proportionate share.

articles.washingtonpost.com...

I’m not discounting your opinion; I’m just playing devil’s advocate and trying to understand this phenomenon.

Shows that most people want their kids to be truthful and not to skirt the truth all day long. I expected more than 66 percent myself, I guess more of our society is succumbing to accepting deceit as an everyday practice.

reply to post by rickymouse

Shows that most people want their kids to be truthful and not to skirt the truth all day long. I expected more than 66 percent myself, I guess more of our society is succumbing to accepting deceit as an everyday practice.

You don’t have to be scum to serve….it’s not a prerequisite.

Didn’t people used to seek office to change the tone in Washington and end the corruption? It’s kind of like when you ask cops why they became a cop; many say “…to serve my community, help people and make a difference in the world”. If we don’t get some GOOD PEOPLE in office then how will we ever change things?

As a “white” guy, I find these stats a bit disheartening…though I understand we all want what’s best for our kids, too. Politics is a dirty, cut throat business.

reply to post by rickymouse


You mean what does the person doing the poll have to do with it??????

Lol the person doing the poll can decide how to word the questions and who is on there call list. Call me crazy but the person taking the poll is far more influential the the person doing the poll.

Oh and yes. I'm 31 with a ten year old daughter.

I would love for my kid to be an elected official... I mean who wouldn't. Your kids Gov. but you really wish she had went into the restaurant business. you're kids gov. but you didn't help with the campaign or brag to your friends. LMAO tell me this isn't ridiculous to everyone else too.

In my opinion it's a conservative poll, So the numbers will be skewed towards the anti gov. side of things... I mean 75% of white america would be disappointed if there child ends up with a great paying, great benefits, great influence job... doubtful

Originally posted by seabag
reply to post by beezzer

 

Cost and social engineering has made professional politics an unobtainable profession that is currently filled with self-serving, bloviating, egotistical, megalomaniacs.

The problem is that the scum currently walking the hallowed halls of our state and federal capitals won't allow laws to be passed that would make politics more obtainable to regular folks.

If it was a money issue then why are non-whites more inclined to send their kids into the fray?


I’m not discounting your opinion; I’m just playing devil’s advocate and trying to understand this phenomenon.

Therein lies the problem with politics today. Perhaps more non-white people see it as a good source of income rather than a noble endevour to represent and help out neighbors and neighborhoods.

Money first, public service second. . . or maybe third (or fourth) on the list.

My brother wanted to get into politics, I told him that the issues we face today are not strictly results of policies or any particular political parties. It is the system itself that is incomplete, it is the system that allows for corruption which is further compounded by the fact the community ignores the corruption.

Once you become part of the government, regardless of your agenda you are basically affirming that the system has meaningful purpose worth being affiliated with. It is like joining the Nazi party with the intent of spreading love to the Jewish community, the fact is the system is designed to oppose Jews and everyone around you is against you. You can still join the Nazis but from the outside you are just spreading the agenda further by playing a role in the story they want to propagate to the ignorant public.

If the system is going to be fixed it needs a full redesign after a thorough analysis of every war, major political scandal, economic collapse and so on. In my opinion a couple of ethical people in a corrupt government is a band aid temp fix. Even if by some miracle politicians decided to be ethical under the current system, what is to stop a repeat in history?

Originally posted by artemisminion
reply to post by rickymouse

 

You mean what does the person doing the poll have to do with it??????

Lol the person doing the poll can decide how to word the questions and who is on there call list. Call me crazy but the person taking the poll is far more influential the the person doing the poll.

In my opinion it's a conservative poll, So the numbers will be skewed towards the anti gov. side of things... I mean 75% of white america would be disappointed if there child ends up with a great paying, great benefits, great influence job... doubtful

The question was - "“If you have a child, would you like to see him or her go into politics as a life’s work?”

Yep, that’s REAL biased! Damn conservatives!!

I would love for my kid to be an elected official... I mean who wouldn't. Your kids Gov. but you really wish she had went into the restaurant business. you're kids gov. but you didn't help with the campaign or brag to your friends. LMAO tell me this isn't ridiculous to everyone else too.

Ummm....it's not ridiculous because 64% polled disagree with you. Every parent is entitled to their own opinion though.

Personally, I saw how people like Sarah Palin where savaged by the media. That lady was called every name in the book and even her children were attacked.





I wouldn't want my son or daughter subjected to that type of nonsense.

Originally posted by voudon
If the system is going to be fixed it needs a full redesign after a thorough analysis of every war, major political scandal, economic collapse and so on. In my opinion a couple of ethical people in a corrupt government is a band aid temp fix. Even if by some miracle politicians decided to be ethical under the current system, what is to stop a repeat in history?

While I do agree with you, who is going to perform this "full redesign"? Do you think the corrupt dinosaurs in DC now are going to do it? That's like a prison with no guards that runs on the honor system.

We do need to revamp the system but I think it's going to take a big influx of GOOD GUYS to get it done.

Well, on one hand, the attitude makes the collapse which follows a self fulfilling prophecy. We pretty much already have that though, when 50% or more of eligible voters rarely, if ever bother to vote on their next city mayor, let alone anything higher for importance.

So, on the other? You'd be asking yourself why they don't want to sent their kids into a field of work where the winners sell their Souls in the process and basically turn in whatever it means to be human with decency to get there. At the same time, those with decency and values get stomped out of the game by scandal or lack of funding to continue gaining office.

(looks at scale) Winners = Scumbags / Losers = Decent people (considers balance)

There is a lot to be said for correcting just why the above is true to say....but until it's no longer true, I'd think we'll have a hell of a time getting decent people to even bother trying to join the system and work it from the inside.

reply to post by seabag


Politics is BIG Money.

Maybe Parents don't want the stigma of their child turning into some big loser that EVERYONE hates in the long run?





I wonder if the parents of Nancy Pelosi are proud?



S&F

I agree with keeping kids out of politics.

Really would a parent want their child to make a living lying,pandering, and screwing people over to make a living, making it a lifetime commitment ?

I wouldn't want my kids doing that.

More honest ways out there in the real world.

Upticks in 1955 and 1965, besides that it's been mostly the same.

This isn't a recent thing for this generation.

My guess is the upticks represent a rise in morale as cultural changes led to political change.

People realized the system worked when enough pressure was applied.

During the rest, people remained disgruntled, else apathetic.

reply to post by seabag


I personally know some politicians, well an ex senator, ex governors aid, and state congressman. They are pretty honest, but know the routine about avoiding issues. I know them well enough that when I ask something they pour out their feelings about the mess in government. I was told years ago that people don't realize the financial mess our state was in, everyone just wants more and more money. What is fueling this financial mess is not really the government, it is the pushy people applying for funds for projects that aren't really necessary. This fuels the problem, the congressmen have to go beg for money, making agreements with other congressmen, so they can get money for their area. A congressman seems to be elected on his ability to do what is necessary to get this funding...country wide. I can see getting funding for things we need, but most of the funding is for things we want to make things look better. Why do architects need to raise the price of projects with fancy stuff, because they get paid on the total cost. Why do we need expensive studies by a neutral party to see if a project is feasible, it either is or it isn't. People in local government don't want to say no without a study. The study is expensive and depending on the desires of the person doing the study, the study could be flawed. This is a big mess, not so easy to fix. I can identify the problem but I cannot find a solution that would be accepted by the public.

Back on topic after trying to show why politics has gone astray, it is not actually because of corrupt politicians, it is because many politicians are nice people and nice people do not like to directly hurt others feelings. So then they sign a pact with the devil, the devil being deceit and not a being, to get what their voters want but may not need.

Sorry for being so off topic, I should have probably stayed right in line with the study....Mice don't always follow the rules of man

Originally posted by QuantriQueptidez
Upticks in 1955 and 1965, besides that it's been mostly the same.

This isn't a recent thing for this generation.

My guess is the upticks represent a rise in morale as cultural changes led to political change.

People realized the system worked when enough pressure was applied.

During the rest, people remained disgruntled, else apathetic.

So I guess that answers the last question I posed; people are asleep at the wheel.

I really can't talk because I certainly have no ambitions for political office myself nor would I like my kids to pursue that career.

Here is another question. Do you think more people would run if it wasn't a career? I'm in favor of term limits for congress (2 term max).