Become a Politician

A how to guide for people wanting to become a politician. Also a great resource for those not interested in becoming politicians, but are interested in the process.

This site features easy concepts, intuitive ideas, and helpful links to understand how to really become a politician. "Become a Politician" is the modern form of Machiavelli's "The Prince". Machiavelli wrote the text in the 1500's to guide a specific ruling family, the Medici's, to greater political forums. This lens uses modern practices to do the same. A true guide to becoming a local, state, or national politician.

Necessary Characteristics for Becoming a Politician

Confidence
In yourself, message, reasons for running, platform, values, staff, party, experience, abilities,and other necessary skills listed below.


Ability to Analyze objectively
This means evaluating yourself, constituency, legislative body, agency, contemporaries, opponents, media, and party. It is not just evaluating, but also doing so without personal interests and feelings of included parties.


Speaking Skills
They come in a different variety: average joe, teleprompter, off-the-cuff, emotional, charismatic, etc.


Writing Skills
Politicians write a lot... as much as you think that they just get someone else to do it, they do a lot on their own. Especially local and state officials. Politicians write briefs, summaries, letters, proposals, bills, agendas, platforms, speeches, campaign material, biographies, personal statements, recommendation letters, etc.


Editing skills
For those times when you are not the original writer. It is valuable to be able to edit important writing materials by staff members.


Intelligence
After some of the politicians you have seen, this one seems obvious that you cannot do the job without it!


Cooperation
Nothing ever gets done in politics without it. You hear too many "I will..." and not enough "Together...",and "We will.."