It’s not presented the way I would like it, because when it comes to appointments, then sure, this will obviously happen, and I don’t really think wives really count when it comes to dynasties.
The high barrier of entry to electoral politics is problematic. On the other hand, according to that article, “only” 5% of Congressmen are part of dynasties. It’s a valid question to put a light to, but doing it by blaming the Obama administration or Democrats for it is silly.

Politico is mostly full of shit, but there’s a legitimate argument to be made against the concentration of power in the hands of political dynasties, whether Republican or Democratic. Glenn Greenwald had an excellent post about it here which I think gets at the root of what is so worrying about this trend.

Obama seems to understand one of the keys to good executive management: hire people who are smarter than you, who are willing to constructively critique your decisions, and who are qualified to do the job they’re assigned.

In other words, I really don’t see him appointing some Chicago machine counterpart to Brownie.

I agree that being the relative of a previous office holder shouldn’t disqualify someone for service, but it does kind of irk me that somebody who has never held elected office could potentially get a senate appointment, because I don’t think that would work for someone who’s last name isn’t Kennedy.

Hmm. Incidentally, one of the problems I had with Hillary was that, if elected, we would have had the same two families in the White House for four presidents and I just don’t think that is healthy. We don’t need American royal families.

Strange.  Because when Nixon retreads Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Ashcroft were lined up for their jobs no one seemed to complain.

I’m not a big fan of political dynasties and that’s one reason I wasn’t thrilled to see Clinton run again.  That said, I’m a little tired of seeing the media alternate between gasping in horror and gushing in romantic approval every time the term “dynasty” arises.  The existence of political “families” is virtually inevitable and if the public thinks what they need is another round of Kennedys or Clintons or (god forbid) Bushs, then Democracy dictates that’s what they should receive.

Likewise, if a political family has existed for generations with family members in every avenue of politics then why should anyone be surprised when these highly experienced and highly connected individuals get high office positions?  If you know a family of plumbers and your pipes break, who do you call?  If you know a family of attorneys - several of which have served as DAs or AGs - why wouldn’t at least one of these people be at the top of your list for USA?  :-p

Apparently I’m more tolerant of “dynasties” than most, but still, that article is really beyond stupid. Hillary Clinton is “the wife of a former President?” How about “U.S. Senator from New York, member of the Senate Armed Services committee, and trailblazing Presidential candidate?” And while the Kennedy opposition is largely fair, I’m not so sure about the Salazar comparison. Yes, they’re brothers, but it’s not exactly like John Salazar would be plucked from obscurity to get his brother’s Senate seat, the man is a sitting member of Congress, and easily one of the 3 most qualified people to fill the seat, familial ties notwithstanding. On top of that, much of this strikes me as media trumped up nonsense. John Salazar is, I believe, taking a seat on the House Appropriations committee, a very choice position, and so would be at least somewhat unlikely to trade that in for a very junior position in the Senate. But it’s easier to bring his name up if you work for the Politico than it is to, ya know, go to Colorade and do some reporting.

So after eight years of Bush II, NOW the press are twisting their dicks off over “dynasties”?

What a bunch of unbelievable horseshit.

So after eight years of Bush II, NOW the press are twisting their dicks off over “dynasties”?

Don’t you remember?  George W. Bush—son of a president, grandson of a senator—was a Washington outsider from Texas, unlike Al Gore, son of a senator, who was the Washington insider. 

I still don’t understand how Rove managed to sell that, but he did.

I don’t have a problem with families in the Senate so much as I do the Presidency. We need kin limits on the Presidency.

This is especially true with senators and POTUS.  I’m sure Jeb is running in 2012 and it will be the death of America if another Bush is allowed into office…

I don’t believe he will… not yet anyway.  His political advisors will tell him that it’s too soon, that he’ll only get one shot, and that he’ll want to wait until the stink of his brother is fully out of the Oval Office.

Sadly, I believe Jeb will be running for the U.S. Senate if Florida in 2010 (to fill Mel Martinez (R) soon to be vacant seat), and I also believe he will likely win.  Form there, 6 years as the face of the “new” Republican Party (HAHA), and he’s in the 2016 race.

Maybe facing Sen. Caroline Kennedy in the 2016 Presidential Election.

Don’t you remember?  George W. Bush—son of a president, grandson of a senator—was a Washington outsider from Texas, unlike Al Gore, son of a senator, who was the Washington insider. 

I still don’t understand how Rove managed to sell that, but he did.

Because Al Gore was a Senator (“insider”), and Bush was a Governor (“outsider”).

Sitting U.S. Senators, historically, have had really, really bad luck in getting elected to the White House.  I believe Obama is only the third to do it, and though I think he would have won regardless, I think it helped him that his opponent was also a sitting U.S. Senator (an election first - 2 sitting Senators), thus effectively neutralizing the “he’s an evil Washington insider” argument moreso than normally.

The Republican Party is done with Bushes. They’ve ruined their party twice now. He wouldn’t stand a shot against Jindal in 2012, who would be young and an “outsider”.

Er, 2016.

After your precious black J*sus finishes his term in 2016 and Michelle Obama finishes hers in 2024 and Caroline Kennedy finishes hers in 2032, we Republicans are gonna make a big effort to take back the White House, so look out!

IMHO it’s not fair to lump together Clintons and Bidens with Kennedys and Bushes.  Bill Clinton and Joe Biden are not scions of famous influential families; they rose from obscurity.  Kennedys and Bushes were influential during the Depression.  The 20th-century one.