Aborable Lawmakers

Ezra has an observation on the persistent the claim that Barack Obama just doesn’t have enough experience to be president.

Most of his experience in government was in state government. For reasons I don't entirely understand, legislative experience at the state level isn't considered legislative experience at all. It's like training for actual legislative experience, which can only be accrued in Washington, DC. This particular bit of chauvinism doesn't effect governors, who can spend 12 years as the executive of a small state and be considered perfectly fit for the presidency. It also doesn't harm mayors of New York. And being a prominent business or military man also gets you a pass. But legislating in the statehouse, why, that's adorable, but not really relevant to the job at hand...

Well, serving in the Illinois legislature really does sometimes mean you aren’t gaining any legislative experience. Just look at the budget process we’re enduring.