Using young children in political meetings

[Legendary Apophis]

What's your opinion about politicians bringing children (sometimes below 10 years old) in the meeting scene in front of cameras, to parade and participate in the show off?
I think it is nonsense, foolishness to manipulate children into politics when they aren't even of age to understand politics. Not to mention the fact children shouldn't be brought into politics, school life and teachers might be an issue with these children involved.
Not to mention it doesn't appear really serious to do such a ridiculous manipulation "see the whole family is behind the candidate" stuff. It's using children at their expense.

I am not talking about teens, but preteens and -young- children.

I notice it's mostly done by far right/ultraconservative parties in Western nations, one good reason among others for me not to vote for them, poor instrumentalisation of family values, lack of credibility with such manipulations.

[Psyko]

I think it's nothing more than exploitation to garner support for a politician, regardless of their policies.

One thing that I really hate about Santorum and his campaign for the Presidential Nomination is the fact that he uses his special needs daughter constantly. It isn't even to promote a policy about children born with special needs. His 3 year old daughter was born with a fatal disorder and he has been using that to garner pity points and empathetic votes. She always gets a mention when he's talking about being a parent, instead of his 6 healthy children, or he brings up the child which was born prematurely and died 2 hours after birth. He says nothing about infant mortality rates, or birth complications, or anything that has to do with child birth except when it comes to his hatred of contraception and abortion.

TL;DR - He carts his fatally ill daughter around like a freaking puppy and never says jack **Filtered** about supporting any kind of policy, research or foundation meant to improve the health of infants before/during/after birth. That just pisses me off.

[ƒëmmë]

and if he didn't mention them.. hid them away like freaks as Society once did? What is wrong with showing your human side, crudos to him for not portraying the "normal/traditional" family..

If I am looking for someone to vote for, I look for someone not born with silverspoon in their mouth and A class student kids that attend private schools.. I want someone that knows what it is like to struggle and deal with the health and education systems in a public arena..

imo its not a pity vote but an empathy one..

now back to Jimettes original question, no I don't find an issue with it.. if I had children I'd like to see someone I could relate to on a personal level,

[[KMA]Avenger]

It's sickening. i would sooner shoot said politician than let him/her near my kids!

[Psyko]

and if he didn't mention them.. hid them away like freaks as Society once did? What is wrong with showing your human side, crudos to him for not portraying the "normal/traditional" family..

If I am looking for someone to vote for, I look for someone not born with silverspoon in their mouth and A class student kids that attend private schools.. I want someone that knows what it is like to struggle and deal with the health and education systems in a public arena..

imo its not a pity vote but an empathy one..

now back to Jimettes original question, no I don't find an issue with it.. if I had children I'd like to see someone I could relate to on a personal level,

I wouldn't mind it so much if he discussed his kids when talking about health and/or education systems. But he doesn't! Which is part of the problem. Saying, "And here are my kids. Al is _ yrs old and likes _. Winnie is _ yrs old and likes _," etc is better than what Santorum is doing. You only find out about his other kids when he makes comments like, "My wife and I have had 8 kids and raised 7 of them." Or *I have 7 wonderful children." But when asked about struggling to be a parent and politician you can bet every penny you've got Isabella (the dying 3 year old) is gonna come out of his mouth. People have to google the names of his other kids.

Instead he should be talking about health and education, or even saying something like, "Every politician struggles between family and work, especially when on the campaign trail, but I spend ___ time with them every evening and blah blah blah blah." Say something of substance instead of **Filtered** about your poor dying child. It's **Filtered** disgusting how much people pull this **Filtered** when trying to get elected. When "Bella" got sick the end of January and Santorum took some time off to take care of her his support gained something like 3%. **Filtered** really? Because he acted like a parent?

I'm sorry, but if your policies are crap you shouldn't get votes just because your kid gets sick, especially if it's the dying kid that you've been toting around for months now on a stressful ever-moving campaign trail. How healthy is it for that child to be constantly switching environments and weather conditions? Damn right she ended up sick. Dumbasses.

[MEZZANINE]

I think the more important issue is that people are dumb enough to vote for someone based on sympathy/empathy alone

Totally agree


The children dont know or understand, its just an exciting day out for them

Those exploiting the children in this way are are just lowering themselves to cheap salesmen and showing a lack of real policies/arguments by pulling these stunts

The public, I hope like me will not be swayed by these cheap stunts in any way and look at the real issues when making decisions such as who to vote for. Sadly most vote for the dumbest of reasons, who will convince them they will personally be better off, historic allegiance, nationalist sentiment etc I dont put falling for cheap tricks past the dumb public, after all these are the same people who in vast numbers think reality shows are real, watch Xfactor and read gutter rags lol