Practical Politics

When Machiavelli wrote The Prince, he avoided any discussion about what a good or bad ruler is. Instead, his focus was on which leaders kept and remained in power. 

By taking this amoral and cynical perspective, we can more clearly see the results of the political process anywhere. 

In general, and in the US in particular, the following hold true:

In local politics, weather and sports can affect elections. The factor of probability plays a greater part.

In other elections, the incumbent usually wins, unless there is poor economy, or a 3rd party candidate splits the vote.

Successful candidates are tall, male, belong to the majority ethnic group and religion, are between 40 and 70 years of age, are the children of successful politicians, and have been educated in foreign or prestigious institutions. 

Here are some insightful quotes from Reason magazine on this farce:

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The 1992 election was not an isolated historical curiosity. Studies find that voters in both the United States and around the world routinely reward and punish incumbent politicians for events they have little or no control over, while often ignoring more subtle policy effects that the incumbents really are responsible for. Short-term trends in the economy are the most ubiquitous example. But they are far from the only one. Voters also reward and punish incumbents for such events as droughts, shark attacks, and even local sports team victories.

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And

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The problem is not just that ignorance might cause the electorate to choose the "wrong" candidate out of those who get nominated by the major parties. It is also that it reduces the quality of the choices available to us in the first place. Knowing that they face a largely ignorant electorate, candidates and parties adopt platforms and campaign strategies that cater to that ignorance. In that respect, public ignorance helps ensure that we are all losers long before election day.

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So there it is. Politicians know that most voters are ignorant and irrational, and so appeal to their emotions rather than reason. 

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.

In his renowned quote, Winston Churchill boldly expresses his skepticism towards democracy when he states: "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."