The Betrayal of the Consultant Class

What does it take to win an election?

A lot of candidates learn very quickly about the pressure to get a consultant, a campaign manager etc.

One former candidate told me how campaigner managers and consultants rely on inducing people to run for office--so that they have a job.

It is nothing about winning a seat.

It has nothing to do with making sure that the right values win out not just in an election but for the future of the state.

The consultant wants money.

Who cares if your man wins the race or not?

Look at Ron Murphy and his Right to Rise PAC.

Jeb Bush was flawed goods from Day One. The grassroots voters did not want him.

His views were not in line with the base of voters.

Bush: an old name, an Establishment label, plus a set of views which enraged the base: amnesty and Common Core.

And yet ...

The consultant, the campaign manager Ron Murphy spent over $100 million of donor dollars.

He walked away with $19 million for his services.

The result?

A candidate who was not the good to begin with ruined the chances for better candidates. Warring consultants pitting candidates against one another, and a less desirable candidate--Donald Trump--scoops up all the delegates.

Do we want the right people to win, so that they can start doing the right things once in office?

The consultant class, a lot like the establishment classes in Washington, Sacramento, and other states, is out for their own interests.

When did campaigning, when did running for office, become another cottage industry for a select few, while the good governance of our states and this country fell away?

Now, a challenge to this cynical notion points out: "A consultant cannot stay credible if he backs candidates who lose."

Remember, consultants can fluff people into running for office. One consultant offered to lower his fees for one potential candidate--but there would still be money for him in the end.

Individual donors offer money to a candidate, but that funding also goes to the professional helping with the campaign, too.

So, what are we left with? Inexperienced candidates relying on "experts" with diverse motives, and ulterior agendas?

How else does a candidate get elected if he doesn't have guidance and a strong manger to assist him?

Another question: there is too much focus on getting elected. What about accomplishing what is best for the country? What about ensuring the rule of law and good govermance?