Should Celebrities Be Involved in Politics?

With the Donald Trump being POTUS, many have asked the question of whether or not more celebrities should run for public office. The idea that was once considered foreign and stupid has prompted many to wonder what would happen if someone like Kanye West or Katy Perry decided to run for office

Although we’ve seen celebrities like Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger run successfully as politicians, the trend has made its way back into modern politics with the Donald Trump winning the presidency last year. Many might say the trend became mainstream when Kanye West announced at the VMAs in 2015 that he would run for president in 2020. While many considered the idea to be completely ludicrous, celebrities such as Mark Cuban, Dwayne Johnson, and Stephen Colbert have shown interest have since declared interest in running for president.

The wildcard factor with celebrities is the fact that they have a different effect on ordinary people rather than politicians. The guy you see on a late night television or in a music video might be more appealing than the old politician who uses big words to explain simple problems.  The concept of many celebrities becoming politicians should frighten establishment politicians. Celebrities would have the money to fund lengthy and influential campaigns and their creative skill would give them an ability to connect more with the average American.

It obviously wouldn’t be wise to see random rappers and actors running for office because it wouldn’t make sense due to the fact this phenomenon would demean the idea of holding public office and ultimately wouldn’t achieve anything. But on the other hand, it might be nice to see some educated celebrities like Mark Cuban try their hand at being a politician. America has changed drastically from what it looked like a decade ago due to the rise of social media, the awareness of climate change, and the growing minority population. It would be wise to introduce a fresh face who would be able to adapt to this twenty-first century America. I’m not saying I’d vote for Kanye West, but if there was an actor or artist who had a solid plan on how to improve our country, I’d be totally on board.