Clan or "Ethnic" Based Polities (UPDATE 1)

UPDATE 1: Add Ferraro paragraph at end

     In many countries in Africa and the Middle East which have many linguistic or tribal groups, the government is often from one group.  It is easy to imagine that qualified people outside the clan consider this unfair, unjust, possibly corrupt, or, at least, a bad recipe in the long run. 

     Already in American politics, family often trumps quality.  Let's face it, George Walker Bush was considered a real candidate not because he was a likable, upbeat idiot with a alcoholic, privileged asshole background, but because his father was President. 

     Let's not hand the Senate Seat in New York to Caroline Kennedy.  She is not an expert on our wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, she is not an expert in terrorism, she is not an expert in Russia (still the #2 nuclear missile power), China, India or trade issues, she is not an expert on the economy, she is not an expert on Health Care, she is not an expert on taxes, she is not an expert on the justice system.

     Instead of any qualifications, Caroline Kennedy has a very, very large rolodex.  She has this because of the connections of her clan, the Kennedys. 

     If she had even one of these expertises, I could consider supporting her.  Instead I am embarassed for America and her increasingly clannish ways.

     It turns out Geraldine Ferraro wants Caroline Kennedy also not get the post, pointing out the same thing, and wrote to Governor Patterson should nominate one of the six, sitting female members of New York's Congressional delegation.  Excuse me, Geraldine?  You were abysmal during the Democratic primaries, and you are abysmal here.  We should pick people solely on the basis of which reproductive organs they have?  That is often a top priority for dating, but totally irrelevant in politics.  Could we review the list of experiences (I forgot Global Climate Change! Another expertise Caroline Kennedy doesn't have) I presented?