<p>To everyone who thinks that senators have cushy jobs...come work for one. You'll find they're not the underworked and overpaid kings you might think they are. These people are oftentimes booked with appointments, and one or two backup plans every day. </p>
<p>Yes, LAs and LCs do a lot of the grunt work, but most senators already paid their dues as interns.</p>
<p>^^ who said that they do?</p>
<p>I completely agree with UCLAri. The fact that senator's may not spend as much time on law making as they should is a product of our system...which forces politicians to spend 90% of their time making people feel good about themselfs. This is not to say that the politicians themselfs are not to blame, just that saying senator's have it easy is incorrect.</p>
<p>An0nym0u5</p>
<p>jpps said,
[quote]
Stress level? Christ, they're never in Washington half the time, and most senators have admitted to not even reading lots of bills that pass through.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>oh yeah, now i remember that. i agree, senators spend alot of time making sure theyre still relevant to their constituency (one of many reasons for Tom Daschle's ouster).</p>
<p>
<p>Its not so much that high public officials don't get paid much as they could be getting paid 5, 10, 20X what they make as public officials. That's why its called public service.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You mean what they make as * private * officials, right?</p>
<p>i admire the fact that you have dreams. but theres a point where you kind of have to wake up there buddy. being gov at 18 is sorta impossible? ahha whats even funnier is that you would seriously ask someone on this board how to become president. i really dont think anyone here would really know how to win an election for you.</p>
<p>oh i do. all you need is alot of money. and then a good personality.</p>
<p>
oh i do. all you need is alot of money. and then a good personality.
</p>
<p>Military experience and Karl Rove help too.</p>
<p>in fact, all you would need is Karl Rove.</p>
<p>i'd guess that most people that become mayors, governors, senators, representatives etc. ultimately would like to become president. but there are thousands of lower positions that are much more atainable than "president" (like state senators etc)</p>
<p>But as for the original question - for a career in politics, you'd probably be most effective at governing with a professional or graduate degree in one of these areas:</p>
<p>Law
Political Science
Economics/Business/Finance
International Affairs/Foreign Service
Public Affairs/Public Administration</p>
<p>That is, get at least a JD, MBA, MIA, MPA, or a masters or doctorate in economics, political science, or foreign service/international relations.</p>
<p>That said, those are probably the educational tracks that will make you most qualified to run a country. What would actually get you elected is an entirely different matter, which has been well addressed: lie, cheat, steal, be rich, be connected, etc. You can be a Rhodes Scholar and be president, or you can be a C-student and failed businessman.</p>
<p>Arguably, an ideally qualified president would have at least two of the degrees above, or the knowledge they represent. Of course, we've had successful presidents who were farmers, so....</p>
<p>reagen's education was pretty limited in terms of helping him to be a good pres</p>
<p>Yet he is most often credited with ending the Cold War. Something right happened...I think.</p>
<p>I would dispute the recommendation that one go to law school in order to work in politics. You'll find that many of today's more popular/successful politicians were not lawyers.</p>
<p>Examples include Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (a history teacher by day); Majority Leader Bill Frist ( a doctor); President George W. Bush ( a business man...kinda); and Ronald Reagan ( nobody knew what the hell he did...but it wasn't law!).</p>
<p>I think Ronald Reagan was an actor, but even that's highly suspect.</p>
<p>I agree, however, if you look at the Congressional Yellow Pages (I love my job...calling 200 congressmen's offices in a day) you'll find that a lot, and I mean A LOT of them have JDs.</p>
<p>If you have: brains of einstien, look of brad pitt, more money then the kennedy's, and a harvard law degree you should be set.</p>
<p>Brains of Einstein? Which candidate was that?</p>
<p>Looks of Brad Pitt? No seriously, which candidate was that?</p>
<p>Harvard law degree? Again, which candidate?</p>
<p>More money than the Kennedys? Is that possible?</p>
<p>P implies Q</p>
<p>doesnt necessarily equal</p>
<p>~P implies ~Q</p>
<p>UCLAri some would argue that Barack Obama comes pretty close on the first three categories. He's got the law degree, and while his aptitude isn't physics, it takes some smarts to edit the Harvard Law Review. I can't speak to the Brad Pitt model but Obama's a whole lot closer than the current occupant of the white house!</p>
<p>And the money, well, people give that to you...</p>