Argentina opens up second front in Falklands Kerfuffle

[Rum]

Actors - what arrogance to think just because they prance around pretending in front of a camera that gives them the right to pronounce on politics and life in general. Twats.

[maiforpeace]

Actors - what arrogance to think just because they prance around pretending in front of a camera that gives them the right to pronounce on politics and life in general. Twats.

In this particular case maybe, but that's overgeneralizing. We've had some actors that have become successful and/or effective politicians.

[Audley Strange]

Actors - what arrogance to think just because they prance around pretending in front of a camera that gives them the right to pronounce on politics and life in general. Twats.

Yeah they should post disgruntled letters to the Mail on Sunday or grumble on some internet forum like the rest of us.

[Rum]

Actors - what arrogance to think just because they prance around pretending in front of a camera that gives them the right to pronounce on politics and life in general. Twats.

In this particular case maybe, but that's overgeneralizing. We've had some actors that have become successful and/or effective politicians.

Name one!

[maiforpeace]

Actors - what arrogance to think just because they prance around pretending in front of a camera that gives them the right to pronounce on politics and life in general. Twats.

In this particular case maybe, but that's overgeneralizing. We've had some actors that have become successful and/or effective politicians.

Name one!

Not my cup of tea, but Ronald Reagan. I may be naive, but to be governor, then to get elected twice as president shows some measure of success as a politician in my book.

I don't know a lot of these famous people, but I'm sure out of all of them there is one or two that were successful and/or effective.

Alan Autry - (actor) Mayor
Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum - (circus) Mayor, State legislator
Shirley Temple Black - (actress) Ambassador
Sonny Bono - (singer) Mayor, Congress
Jim Bunning - (baseball) Senator
Fred Grandy - (actor) Congress
Jack Kemp - (Football) congress, VP candidate
Steve Largent - (football) Congress
George Murphy -(dancer/actor) Senator
Tom Osborne - (football player/coach) Congress
Ronald Reagan - (actor) Governor, President
Jim Ryun - (runner) congress
Arnold Schwarzenegger - (actor) governor.
Fred Thompson - (actor) Senator
J.C. Watts - (Football) Congress
Bill Bradley - (basketball) Senator
Nancy Culp -(actress) Congress
John Glenn - (astronaut) Senator
Ben Jones - (actor) Congress
Sheila Kuehl -(actress) Senator
Tom McMillan - (basketball) Congress
Ralph Waite - (actor) Congress
Jerry Springer (talk show host) Mayor
Clint Eastwood - (actor) - Mayor
Jesse (The Body) Ventura -Governor
Al Franken - (actor) Congress

[Pappa]

Actors - what arrogance to think just because they prance around pretending in front of a camera that gives them the right to pronounce on politics and life in general. Twats.

In this particular case maybe, but that's overgeneralizing. We've had some actors that have become successful and/or effective politicians.

And wrestlers.

[sandinista]

I like that you put (the body) in Jesse Ventura's name.

[maiforpeace]

I like that you put (the body) in Jesse Ventura's name.

This list I copied had it entered that way...but yeah, I noticed that too.

[Rum]

Actors - what arrogance to think just because they prance around pretending in front of a camera that gives them the right to pronounce on politics and life in general. Twats.

In this particular case maybe, but that's overgeneralizing. We've had some actors that have become successful and/or effective politicians.

Name one!

Not my cup of tea, but Ronald Reagan. I may be naive, but to be governor, then to get elected twice as president shows some measure of success as a politician in my book.

I don't know a lot of these famous people, but I'm sure out of all of them there is one or two that were successful and/or effective.

Alan Autry - (actor) Mayor
Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum - (circus) Mayor, State legislator
Shirley Temple Black - (actress) Ambassador
Sonny Bono - (singer) Mayor, Congress
Jim Bunning - (baseball) Senator
Fred Grandy - (actor) Congress
Jack Kemp - (Football) congress, VP candidate
Steve Largent - (football) Congress
George Murphy -(dancer/actor) Senator
Tom Osborne - (football player/coach) Congress
Ronald Reagan - (actor) Governor, President
Jim Ryun - (runner) congress
Arnold Schwarzenegger - (actor) governor.
Fred Thompson - (actor) Senator
J.C. Watts - (Football) Congress
Bill Bradley - (basketball) Senator
Nancy Culp -(actress) Congress
John Glenn - (astronaut) Senator
Ben Jones - (actor) Congress
Sheila Kuehl -(actress) Senator
Tom McMillan - (basketball) Congress
Ralph Waite - (actor) Congress
Jerry Springer (talk show host) Mayor
Clint Eastwood - (actor) - Mayor
Jesse (The Body) Ventura -Governor
Al Franken - (actor) Congress

Well I was kidding. Ronald Reagan was the most obvious of course. To us Europeans it is an odd phenomenon and it says a lot about what matters in American politics.

[mistermack]

Successful and/or effective ?
For a politician, getting elected counts as successful. And actors have a head start in the US.
Generally, US actors get success firstly through their looks, and a distant second, through their acting ability.
And much the same applies in US politics. More so today than ever.
So of course actors are ready-made politicians. They have looks, money, and experience in front of cameras.
Ability to run a country is incidental.

The same applies elsewhere, but maybe to a slightly lesser extent. America has more actors, anyway.

[JimC]

To answer Mistermac, during the Maoist and beyond years, say up until modernization really took of in the late 80s it was estimated that over 50% of China's foreign trade went in financial terms through Hong Kong.

Clinton: Patten did try to negotiate British Passports for all HK Chinese who wanted them, but given there were something like 6 million of them the opposition to that proposal won pretty easily. A pity. Hong Kong Chinese taking over London would have been something to see!

Quite a few migrated to Oz just before the take-over, bringing both money and financial acumen with them. Lots of Chinese in Melbourne, and have been since the 1850's. They add to the melting pot that Melbourne has become, always with a little friction here and there, but ultimately a benefit to us all...

[Svartalf]

It's exactly like Chavez deserving support because the Evil Northerners have been naughty.

[Warren Dew]

Well I was kidding. Ronald Reagan was the most obvious of course. To us Europeans it is an odd phenomenon and it says a lot about what matters in American politics.

Character, intelligence, and an ability to relate to an audience, rather than an "old money" family?

That said, the random actors aren't any more qualified than any person on the street. Then again, any person on the street will probably provide an opinion if asked. Perhaps the criticism should e directed at the journalists who pay special attention to the actors.

[MrJonno]

Most actors in the UK are least are going to be university educated, will be masters of the English language. They will also be experts in empathy/putting themselves in other positions. They may have done lots of research on the background to their parts, know some history and understand of people motivation. They will have plenty of experience of team work including taking advice from experts (directors)

Hate to say it I think a 'good' actor is going to make a far better politican than your average 'good' scientist

[Pappa]

Regarding the Falklands kerfuffle, I was dismayed to see Downing Street "defiantly" flying the Falklands flag the other day. It reminded me that international diplomacy and politics rarely rise above the schoolyard level.