Alan Ehrenhalt
Booknotes, Sunday, July 21, 1991
Alan Ehrenhalt discusses The United States of Ambition: Politicians, Power, and the Pursuit of Office.
Mr. Ehrenhalt discussed the changes in electoral politics in the previous thirty years. He said a new breed of professional politician has sprung up during the previous decades to replace the part-time politician or businessman who formerly occupied seats in local or state governments. The replacement for these people is the person who makes political office their career, without pursuing an alternative skill or trade. The effect of the new breed of politician is representation by "politics addicts," who show little loyalty to any political machine or mentor, and frequently do not reflect the ideology of their constituents. Mr. Ehrenhalt expressed concern about elected officials who lack ties or political associations with other groups on the state and local levels. Mr. Ehrenhalt discussed his research for the book, and told anecdotes on political changes in state and local politics he learned during his travels gathering information for the book. (timspalding)… (more)
Mr. Ehrenhalt discussed the changes in electoral politics in the previous thirty years. He said a new breed of professional politician has sprung up during the previous decades to replace the part-time politician or businessman who formerly occupied seats in local or state governments. The replacement for these people is the person who makes political office their career, without pursuing an alternative skill or trade. The effect of the new breed of politician is representation by "politics addicts," who show little loyalty to any political machine or mentor, and frequently do not reflect the ideology of their constituents. Mr. Ehrenhalt expressed concern about elected officials who lack ties or political associations with other groups on the state and local levels. Mr. Ehrenhalt discussed his research for the book, and told anecdotes on political changes in state and local politics he learned during his travels gathering information for the book. (timspalding)… (more)
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