I shouldn't have to say this
But the government is supposed to be boring.
There is so much wrong with politics in America—the biggest issue being institutionalized white supremacy of course.
But one of the biggest things I would argue is a demand for candidates to be movie stars, Instagram influencers, or people we would like to see on reality TV.
The skills needed to succeed in Hollywood or on a social media platform are drastically different than those needed to successfully govern, design policy, or manage a government bureaucracy.
A sign of how successful the Obama administration was at keeping a stable White House was President Obama’s nickname, “No-Drama Obama.” This is the ideal when running a bureaucracy as large and complex as the modern-day American executive’s office.
Politics at times has been quite exciting … in early 1930s Germany, the late Roman Republic, the aftermath of World War I Italy, and the immediate aftermath of World War II China. All of these times proceeded either civil war, authoritarian regimes, and, in the case of Germany, the evilest regime of the twentieth century.
The Census Bureau and the United States Postal Service are two government agencies that are supposed to bore people who are not intrinsically interested in their work. Both agencies are quite interesting right now. That is a very bad thing. It means that these agencies are not able to do their jobs, in this case thanks to interference from the Trump administration.
When most government agencies work well, they tend to be boring. Boring government is a sign of stability. Stable government is essential for maintaining security, ensuring public safety, upholding vital infrastructure, confronting serious social problems, warranting a good relationship with the rest of the world, and tackling severe institutional harms such as institutionalized white supremacy.
Comparing and Contrasting Saint Paul and Minneapolis
The murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department has exposed why stable government is critical.
Before I begin, one thing needs to be made clear: the Saint Paul Police Department has numerous problems when it comes to issues like racial profiling and excessive force, as do most police departments. When I compare them favorably to the MPD, I am not implying a perfect department, but a department I am confident can be improved or fixed—salvageable, in other words. In addition, Saint Paul is still dealing with the consequences of racist decisions—such as the destruction of the Rondo neighborhood—even today in the form of shameful racial gaps in healthcare, education, and home ownership.
But the unrest that followed George Floyd’s murder has exposed why having political stability in the city government is vital for social justice and protecting the most vulnerable.
When Mayor Carter ordered people to stay home during the curfew, for the most part, Saint Paul residents obeyed orders. By contrast, when Mayor Frey ordered people to stay home in Minneapolis, people did not obey the order. As a result, Saint Paul did not burn as Minneapolis did.
Let me get this out of the way. Mayor Jacob Frey is not a bad or stupid person. I have met him several times, and I find him quite likable.
But the fact of the matter is that he spends too much time on social media and is simply not up for the job of being mayor of Minneapolis. Frey served only one term on the Minneapolis City Council before getting elected mayor of Minneapolis, meaning he did not have the needed experience to serve as the mayor of Minnesota’s largest city.
He is a nonrepulsive example of someone who is a better Instagram star than an elected official.
Mayor Carter, by contrast, cut his teeth as a member of the Saint Paul City Council for two terms and served as an advisor to Governor Mark Dayton on early childhood education. Even before he was elected, Mayor Carter was experienced in politics and activism.
It should be clear which person was more prepared for the mayor’s office.
Comparing and Contrasting the Two Men Running for President
Vice President Biden is many excellent things: honest, tough, persistent, highly empathetic, sharp, experienced, and just plain good.
Donald Trump is everything I was taught not to be: entitled, dishonest, cowardly, weak, mean-spirited, cruel, bigoted, and thin-skinned.
Trump was able to project the image of a smart, ruthless, and powerful alpha male because of Hollywood magic, mainly through the TV show The Apprentice—all of this in spite of the fact that he has gone bankrupt at least six times.
But while Trump is experienced in the world of Hollywood, Vice President Biden is anything but a Hollywood or social media star. He is not a glamorous figure, but an elder statesman at a time when we need one the most.
Trump, by contrast, can be argued to be somewhat glamorous (according to some; my mother always said he was tacky) in the Hollywood sense.
If you need an example of someone who embodies the demand for elected officials to be exciting or glamorous, look no further than the 45th president of the United States.
Look around. This is what a TV president brings to the real world.
Death, destruction, ruin, and pain.