VENTURA ON POLITICS
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James Joyner | Wednesday, September 3, 2003 |
Jesse Ventura has an op-ed in the L.A. Times arguing that California’s voters should move away from the major parties and defending his tenure as a Reform/Independent governor. He doesn’t explicitly exclude his pal Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is running as a Republican, from his argument.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and infant daughter.
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I lived in Minnesota for all four years of the Ventura administration in which he pretty much broke every major campaign pledge he ever made.
During his four years he demonstrated zero ability to build a political party much less push through any sort of policy agenda and spent most of his time either promoting himself or picking pointless fights with our legislature and the media.
Why is this guy now being looked to as someone to give advice on dispensing with "politics as usual" (whatever that means) and building a new political movement?
TW,
Certainly true. He was an interesting novelty act but wore thin. I've heard some good things about Lowell Weicker's tenure in NJ, but it's generally too much for an independent to handle. Parties are rather useful as coalition building tools.
I think Jesse did exactly what was needed in MN - he kept much from changing while things were going good.
Look at what we've gotten since then - Guns allowed in all public places, mandatory 24-hour waiting period for abortions, and bars open an extra hour.
Nothing but special interest politics.
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