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Who Can Be President of the United States?

Posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at 7:07 PM EST - Item ID: 533

My Dear Fellow Americans,

I know the 2016 presidential election is a short time away but whenever any election cycle comes around I think about the job of being President of the United States.

Did you ever wonder why some people think they can run for the office of President of the United States and others don't? Like you, for example Why don't you think you can run for the office? Maybe you think you are not qualified or if elected would do a bad job. Maybe you don't have the personality to do it. And these days having enough money certainly should be considered. Let's face it, who do these people think they are to be running for the most powerful office in the world? What makes them think they can do it? What makes them think they are qualified and what makes you think you are not qualified?

I'll tell you what makes them think they can do it - the US Constitution

Section 1 of Article Two of the United States Constitution sets forth the eligibility requirements for serving as president of the United States:

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

That's it Very simple indeed

There is no mention of being rich

There is no mention of being powerful

There is no mention of being important

There is no mention of being intelligent

There is no mention of being a celebrity

There is no mention of any particular qualifications or experience, either.

Huh So any one meeting those three constitutional criteria can be president? Wow I wonder why our fore fathers made the criteria so simple.

After some thought I think I figured it out.

Our fore fathers thought the office of president was more about representing the people then it was about representing the country to foreign entities and officials. Sure, that was part of it also but they wanted the president to be more of a citizen than a politician. As an equal one-third of the government (Executive branch) they figured that this office was a place where the individual citizen could go to seek help in resolving issues regarding the other two branches of government (Legislative and Judicial branches).

In the old days before presidents, republics and democracy, citizens would go directly to the king to seek restitution from the ill fates that befell them. Only the king had the power to make things right.

So if this is what our founders had in mind for the office of president doesn't it make sense to have a president who understands what it is like to be an ordinary citizen? How can a person who is born rich or is a CEO of some major corporation understand life in the real world of citizenry? They don't have to watch every penny earned and figure out ways to make ends meet while raising a family in a world that keeps getting more expensive to survive in.

And why does a presidential candidate have to be experienced in order to be qualified? Don't you just have to be experienced in being a citizen if all you need to do is look out after your fellow citizen's well being by fighting the good fight against the power wielding other two branches of government and those shakers and movers who are only looking out for their selves?

People say well what if during your presidency there is a major crisis? How will you be equipped to handle it without experience or good qualifications? The answer is simple. You surround yourself with good people who know more about these things then you do. You listen to their advice and then make the best decision that will be best for the American people and our country. Who can't do that?

You should also ask which past or future presidential candidates have had previous experience in handling major crises that could adversely impact the whole country or even the entire world if it is not handle correctly? The only person who might would be a current president seeking reelection for a second term. Otherwise, this is what they call on-the-job-training. Every president enters his first term of office without knowing what lies ahead and hopes that when challenges come he or she will be capable of handling it properly. But do they all handle it properly even when some say before being elected that they are well qualified to be president? No They all don't. Even the most so-called qualified people have made the biggest mistakes in history. The history books are full of examples of presidential missteps that have cost this country and its citizens dearly.

As for foreign affairs and how you would handle them? How are they any different for any presidential candidate who assumes they can do a good job at that? If you feel you are not good at negotiations on a global level then you probable shouldn't consider running for this high office. But again - who knows what kind of global interactions you will have with the other world leaders? Just as you treat all the people with respect that you come in contact with on a daily basis in your life so too will you do the same with global leaders. And don't forget the surrounding yourself with good people idea. You will have a Secretary of State that will do most of the foreign interaction anyway. This is what your cabinet is all about.

But when you will be negotiating with global leaders directly you will be negotiating for your fellow citizens and our country's well being and not for corporate America, the military establishment or for special interest groups or lobbyist. Yes, I know, some of that must also be done at certain and appropriate times but it will be done with the people's best interest in mind. You won't make a deal for corporate American that will hurt the people because you remember what it means to be a "people".

Our citizens are not stupid They know what is going on in their local, county, state and congress and the world. They know what is best for them and America. Why can't they have a chance at running this country just like anyone else does. After all, we've had some real scoundrels in the white house before and we survived as a country and as a people. Why not give an ordinary citizen a chance to fix things or even screw them up more just like all the other previous presidents have done?

The reason is simple. We don't need any more professional politicians in this country who are bought and paid for by special interest groups and who only care about getting re-elected for another term and making their rich campaign supporters richer and the powerful more powerful. We don't need more promises that are never realized. We don't need a bunch of lying, thieving weasels thrashing about over our hard earned tax and fees dollars lying in a big pile underneath the capitol dome that could be better spent by us to make our lives better and to stimulate our economy.

Yes, of course, we need to pay taxes to support this great country of ours. But we need to do it in an affordable way that doesn't place undue hardship on the citizenry and doesn't provide incentive for wasteful mismanagement and downright thievery.

We need real action We need big ideas to solve our big problems like government spending and tax burdens that halt the American dream. We need results and not talk But most of all - we need common sense that only comes from the commoner.

I think only an ordinary citizen will fight for these things and much more and make real change and so I invite all to consider running for President of the United States. After all, the constitution says you can so why not do it. Why should you be any different?

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Posted: Friday, November 13, 2015 at 11:11 AM EST - Item ID: 533-2

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