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Why do Americans elect lawyers?

Laws and contracts are the operands of government. Money and a convincing demeanor are the operators of elections.

Government is not really an experimental enterprise. Science is about constructing interesting subsets of general-purpose reality to eliminate variables, then testing other variables and seeing what happens. The history of Legislative attempts to eliminate real-world variables is the history of horrific side-effects: wars, market crashes, value destruction, and freedom-trampling.

The chief complaint about current US reps isn't that they're not scientific, but that they're not aware of facts and that they're only aware of some people. Scientists make no claims on being aware of people, and are deeply aware of some facts.

What we need in Government are intelligent yet humble people who have personally experienced some tragedy brought about by ill-conceived legislation, tensioned by CFOs who in their personal lives give a shitload of money to the poor.

Good luck on that talent search, America.



"Why do Americans elect lawyers?"

Because they're good at making a case. Any case. Including the case for electing them.

I seriously doubt if many people think "He's a lawyer. He'll be a good steward of the country."

Instead it's more like "He talks about exactly the things that I'm afraid of. I'm voting for him."


>Why do Americans elect lawyers?

I think you're overthinking it. Lawyers make good politicians because they're good debaters. A good debater and charismatic individual garners votes. So long as you're not 110% bat-shit insane you'll win votes and the better you are at making the opponent look bad the better on you.

Too much of American politics isn't so much about making realistic promises and outlooks on the future that are obtainable as it is about extremism and making the others look bad. To me it seems like that style of politics wins because "it makes good TV".


Perhaps we're both overthinking it. Lots of people are good debaters.

Lawyers are good debaters and more of them want the job.




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