Have you ever considered running for office?

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Hi,
I have aspergers syndrome (was diagnosed at age 9) and am really considering a career in politics. I have a lot of the connections, I enjoy policy and watching politics. I see the merit in being behind the scenes, but I feel like being the elected official would be the better place to be. I care a lot about social justice and poverty issues and I am part of the queer community. I just am worried about the whole social aspect of running for office and whether or not I can actually do it. The endless fundraisers and meetings can be exhausting and I am very awkward at times. My aspergers is very mild and I don't really tell people about it, but most people I know think something is different with me. I can fake it for a while, but it gets old after a while. I am good at public speaking and relatively good at brief interviews and talking about the stuff I care about, but not small talk and scmoozing. As I said, I can be very awkward at times.

Is it a good idea to start being upfront about my aspergers synodrome, and be open about it when I run for office? Are there any elected officals with aspergers syndrome out there? and have any of you ever considered running?

Thank you all so much and I am looking foreward to hearing back from you all.

You don't say where you live.

Here in the USA, state and national politics can be bloody.

Any flaw, any shortcoming, becomes ammunition to use against you. You'd think they'd not try and attack you for having AS, but if you can't hold your own in a debate or a town hall meeting, people won't have confidence in your ability to lead.

So, in the end, you need enough "people skills" to get support to get you into office.

Lots of people who would be better for us in office don't have a hope of being elected the way campaigns are run.

As for me, I thought of running for office, but I've screwed up enough in life that opponents would have no difficulty smearing me all over the media until I was forced to drop out.

From your post, it sounds like running for office wouldn't be suited for you. That doesn't rule out politics (you could work behind the scenes in a government office). Being an elected official, you are in the public eye 24/7. Everything you say or do will be put under a microscope, and your opponents will try to tarnish your reputation and attack your character at any chance they get. Politics requires a lot of small talk and scmoozing, and it requires a lot of being fake and disingenuous.

I agree with this. You could work for a politician behind the scenes analyzing, researching, writing, creating policy positions etc. If you do run for office reveal the Aspergers diagnoses right away because it will come out anyway. By revealing it first you would get to frame the discussion.

But ASD people are needed desperately in politics for many reasons not the least of which is getting the neurodiversity viewpoint heard in the corridors of power.

Good luck

QFT.

Only 2 things really get you elected (in the US, anyway): cash or charisma. It helps to have both.

I have thought about politics more than once, but never for long. I excel at devouring and interpreting regulations and legislation, statistics and studies, and I do extremely well with the alien concpet of the time value of money (which is sorely lacking in our government). But I would never make it past the first debate. It would only take my opponent to say something like, "are you stupid or something?" and then I would look the fool when I say something like, "This particular subject is one in which I consider myself to be knowledgable, but definitely not an expert" instead of something cool like "no, but you are!"

Don't do it smartgirl!