[Sistermadly]

In Canada, perhaps.

In the United States? Not on your LIFE. US politics isn't about ideals anymore - it's about making the opposition look cruel and heartless, e.g., "the Democrats want to tax the hell out of the little person"/"the Republicans want us all to starve to death". Politics aren't about ideas or ideologies, and they certainly aren't about having pride in being a public citizen. They aren't even about serving your constituencies anymore.

Plus, in US politics, things that should be kept private about the candidate's private life often become a matter of public record, even when those things have no bearing on whether the official in question is capable of doing his or her job.

I used to really want to run for public office when I lived in the US - but these days.. I dunno. You'd either have to be a fool, terribly naive, or an oblivious optimist to want to do it.