What's Worse: A "Murder" or "Public Servant" Simulator?

My, isn’t politics exciting as of late!  The president allegedly wants a government takeover in the manner of Hugo Chavez, and congress is turning into the British Parliament.  I swear, Joe Wilson spewing “You lie!” sounded just like Leonardo from the original TMNT film.  I anxiously awaited for Obama to hoarsely breath, “Do I?”  Instead, everyone apologizes, nobody is “crushed” in a garbage truck, and we eagerly await for the next reality-TV moment in politics.  I thought I would stop watching and reading the news for a while; I didn’t think there was a point anymore.  For some portable escapism, I spent some time with the Phoenix Wright series and had an epiphany.  If developers can exploit a broken justice system for new IP, why can’t they do the same with politics?

I’m not sure what the format would be.  It’d probably have to be something fairly unique, like a mix between The Sims and an RTS.  Obviously, you’d have primary control over one protagonist whose motivation is rising to political super stardom.  Players could have secondary control of an ever-growing entourage of staff members.  Size, quality, and attributes of the staff would directly correlate to political donations; it wouldn’t be that foreign of an idea.  Like many RTS strategy games, “mining for resources” would be a constant balancing act.  Sure, any politician wants as much fund raising as possible (via "miners, fisherman, hunters"), but prospective players would also have to be careful about accepting funds from donors of questionable ideology (AKA investing so much into resources that you run of out sufficient funds before you’re utterly destroyed by 7 or 8 Zerdlings). 

With a nod to classic RTS formulas akin to Age of Empires, you could start off as any of several nationalities, each country able to wield unique attributes.  If you’re an American (regardless of racial classification), you could have the power of PR control.  Saying “I’m deeply sorry” to “unknowingly” accepting bribes could make all your problems filling the screen go away.  If you’re say, a more "proactive" Middle Eastern dictator, you could call upon riots and beheadings to use against your political arch rivals.  I’m not sure if online competition would be feasible, but the object of that mode could be absolute collapse of one’s respective civilization.  Whoever fails quickest, wins!  It's the peaceful alternative to traditional online "murder simulators."  You're only screwing yourself!  Otherwise, in single player mode, the end game could be more open ended like a Bethesda or Sims game.

Upgrades would come with logical progress through the annals (pun intended) of politics.  Players could begin as a wealthy land owner (solely through inheritance, of course) just trying to get his or her foot in the door.  You’d start off simple, like in a school board where you have to navigate through just the right dialogue trees to avert a teacher pay raise.  Opponents would be unreasonable union representatives and the one teacher legally obligated to be on a school board.  Notoriety as an ill-educated school board chair-person could lead to getting elected mayor.  From there, a governorship, a senate or congressional seat, until eventually you run for President.  Of course, this progress would be dependent on the country.  Each would have its analogous seats of power.

Obviously, the idea of moving through hyper realistic motions of government is tempting.  With either majesty or mayhem as a possible outcome, the concept needs some direction; I’m just scratching the surface of gameplay possibilities.  What other mechanics, objectives, control schemes, or modes could we add to a public servant simulator?  Comment and discuss!