In how many races with only one candidate is the candidate also the incumbent? Running against one is really tough unless they are truly incompetent and/or corrupt. For many voters, the devil they know is better than one they don't, as in if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

On the individual side, yes, serving in office should be out of duty and altruism, but that don't pay the bills, and most offices around here don't pay nearly enough for the work expected. This reduces the universe to the retired, the independently wealthy, the corrupt and/or those only willing to do the minimum to get by. Add in that running takes time and money, with no guarantee that you'll win, and you get the current crop of candidates.

The two best ways to change this dynamic is to implement term limits and to raise the pay. A race without an incumbent levels the playing field and usually attracts multiple hopefuls, and we need to be realistic about the work expected and pay accordingly. In speaking with my alderman recently, he said that he gets 50 phone calls and 20 emails every day. Assuming that it takes, what, 3 minutes to review and respond to each one, that's 3 1/2 hours a day before you go to any meetings, do any research or write any legislation! It may be, in theory, a part time position; in reality, it leaves little time for a “real” job.

I don’t know if they’ve “decided to not change things” so much as they’ve decided leaving a full-time, well-paying job for a CHANCE at a political office that may not employ them for more than a few years is worth the risk. Many voters have family to care for and cannot afford the sacrifice.

People who can afford that risk ought to run, thus giving voters a choice in the type of person they want to be led by.

It is a system that is in place, one that does not encourage democracy. The few challengers are ignored by a main stream media who basically refuse to cover new ideas or people unless it is forced upon them. A corporate sector that makes enormous profits the way things are so they don't want change and from a public overwhelmed by choices and surviving day to day.
That is the backdrop of challengers to democrats and republicans.
It is more than people afraid to step to the plate to make a challenge. It is a whole system that has been built to discourage participation. It is subtle, but there should be no question from your blog and many others ideas and new directions exist, the power structure just does not want to hear them because they have got milking the current structure down to a science.

So much for capitalism being innovative, it is the most reactionary force there is.