Here’s a funny thought: what would it be like to run for public Office as a young, Blind person? Probably the same as trying to navigate a political landscape where the instructions are written in invisible ink and the map is drawn by a three-year-old. So when I read about Madeleine Smith’s caper in Georgia, it was like reading a superhero origin story, only without the cape and with a lot more bureaucratic paperwork. And somehow, through this odyssey filled with more obstacles than a tax form, Madeleine decided to take a crack at politics.

First off, let’s talk about the genius idea of running for office in Georgia. This place is a labyrinth, folks. Try mapping it out in your mind and it ends up looking like a Jackson Pollock painting. And then, let’s sprinkle in the fact that Madeleine is blind, which means she’s literally and figuratively walking around in this mud pit with no vision whatsoever. Imagine trying to whip the state of Georgia into shape when most people there think brunch counts as a political strategy meeting. It’s like going into a Godzilla fight with a flyswatter.

Here’s the kicker: do you know how politicians are always trying to one-up each other? Well, Madeleine Smith skipped that mess and started on hard mode. These other candidates are rolling in campaign cash and posting selfies with puppies, and Madeleine has to figure out how to convert pamphlets into something she can actually read. Let’s not even talk about those God-forsaken yard signs. I mean, the rest of the candidates are out there having their mug printed on signs like it’s a high school yearbook photo while Madeleine is busy getting the logistics right to, you know, just see what the heck she’s dealing with.

Let’s take a minute to appreciate the absolute absurdity of campaign events. Picture this: the other candidates are shaking hands like they’re at a county fair trying to sell pigs, and Madeleine is there trying to make sure she doesn’t trip over some dog-loving grandma who is more interested in discussing her latest casserole recipe than policy reform. Real crowd pleaser, right? But Madeleine? She has to rely on people who probably still need GPS to find their way out of a supermarket to tell her how the event’s going. Good luck with that.

Talk about getting the short end of the stick. Think about TV debates. Those things are already about as much fun as a paper cut seasoned with salt, and now she’s jumping into the ring with the aesthetic experience of a podcast. You’ve got candidates waving their hands around like inflatable tube men, while Madeleine’s up there sticking it to them with pure verbal firepower. Forget cosmetic advantages; this is about brains, charm, and telling it like it is.

And here’s where it gets funnier. We all know how political committees love their paperwork. If you could win elections by filling out forms, politicians would be pop-up book authors. Now image Madeleine, balancing advocacy and accessibility with filling out this deluge of forms – bureaucracy is already blind, who knew it could take lessons from her life experience?

Let’s not forget the absolute avalanche of “helpful advice” she’s undoubtedly got along the way. That’s right, Madeleine, just smile and nod when someone suggests funding public transport with bake sales or solving climate change with positive energy. The level of patronizing in politics is a skyscraper built on a foundation of good intentions and absolutely no sense. You know those campaign strategists and their infinite wisdom: “Maybe you should open with a joke about your condition!” Yeah, how about “I walked five hundred miles and I walked five hundred more…just to run for freaking office!” Hysterical, isn’t it?

Speaking of fundraising. Here’s what nobody tells you—campaigning is half politics, half begging marathon. Losing your sight is one thing, but losing sight of your goals because donors want their, ahem, “special interests” catered is a whole other beast. These donors play hardball and they’re about as flexible as a steel beam. They’ll have you doing backflips till you’re so twisted up you’ll think you’re auditioning for Cirque du Soleil.

In the face of all this, Madeleine keeps going. She’s like an unstoppable force of nature trapped in a political dollhouse that’s on fire. Her campaign photos? Each one is basically the seesaw picture without the seesaw. Instead, you’ve got courage and resilience shining through every take. The other candidates try to look relatable with shots of them eating corn-dogs at state fairs. Meanwhile, Madeleine’s photo ops scream “I’m here to change the game and I’ve got the guts to prove it.”

So what does all of this teach us? Politics needs courageous people like Madeleine to clear out the cobwebs of idiocracy and pave the way for some real progress. And no, she doesn’t need pity, she needs votes because she’s got more vision without sight than most people with 20/20 could ever hope to achieve. It’s high time we flipped the script and started seeing leadership for the insight and integrity it requires, not just the ability to smile for a camera.

In the end, let’s root for those who fight not because they see the path ahead, but because they’ve got the roadmap and they’re determined to make it. Madeleine Smith isn’t just a candidate; she’s a testament to what we can achieve when we actually start paying attention to the people who want to make a real difference.

Source: What It’s Like to Run for Office as a Young, Blind Person

The post Running for Office as a Blind Person: Because Navigating the Georgia Maze Had to Get Harder first appeared on DEMOCRAWONK.