Quote:
Originally Posted by chedder
I know this board seems to skew pretty high income but it's funny when people always say politics is a pay cut. A Calgary councillor makes base pay of $120,000 plus pension plan, good benefits, a transition allowance when they quit or get defeated. Plus a really good annual car allowance, expense account and generous budget for their constituency offices. I don't imagine they pay for too many fancy lunches themselves either.
So, while not huge money, a lot of people would think it's a pretty decent living.
I also don't think their hours of work would be any more than most.
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Aside from the time commitment that Boogerz mentions, it’s not a job that the average person has the aptitude for.
We like to criticize politicians for being dumb, but most are pretty smart. The great majority have university degrees. They have to read and speak to long reports and papers. Discuss complex budgets. So already you’re looking at people who are going to be qualified for substantially more than average salaries.
They also have to be driven and willing to take risks. Knocking on thousands of doors and having half the people who answer ream you out or slam the door would discourage the great majority of people. They’re investing huge amounts of time and energy to campaigns that they can easily lose and wind up with nothing (even in safe seats, the nomination races can be brutal).
They have to be socially fluent. They need to be able to comfortably work a room full of strangers, speak in public, remember names, exude confidence, and make people feel good around them. Every day.
Lastly, to be a successful politician you need to be well-connected. A wide circle of friends, deep roots in the community, and the confidence of influential people.
So:
Willing to work long hours
Smarter than average
Driven risk-taker
Socially adept
Well-connected
People who have all of those traits can typically earn much more than an average income in jobs where they enjoy privacy and civility.