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Job Wanted: Qualifications for President

Updated on July 17, 2014
The General
The General
Mr. Adams
Mr. Adams
I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.  -John F. Kennedy
I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone. -John F. Kennedy

So, you want to be President, tell me a little about yourself...

Like any standard job opening, there is a list of qualifications that must be fulfilled in order to attain an interview. While remedial jobs have wiggle room based on how dynamic the candidate’s personality is, there are good reasons for overlooking a better qualified candidate in the face of a slightly less qualified one. As one moves up the corporate food chain, standard qualifications of education and years of service no longer suffice. Medium and large corporations look for cutting edge behavior, explosive track records, maturity to handle risk and the ever present “so what have you done of value lately.” Winning six and seven figure salaries in this day and age requires an individual with ritualistic tenacity and unsurpassed brain power. It should also go without saying that the office for President of the United States is the most powerful position on the planet (at least it still was during the writing of this piece). Why would we not expect this candidate to be above reproach and of a caliber only handfuls of people possess? I wish to share with you what I believe should be overwhelming common sense attributes for a President in waiting.

Entrepreneur Extraordinaire:

Any man or women who opines for the highest office of the land should know how to run a multimillion dollar company from the ground up. Being a business owner and operator is in my eyes the number one must have qualification. The skills required to balance a profit and loss statement, manage the human element of production and find common ground from your lowest employee to your second in command cannot be replicated elsewhere.

A President must understand what the common mans life looks like, what they do for a living, how they contribute to the top and bottom line, and the struggles they face on the front lines.

A President needs to realize his company cannot expand if production and sales are not bringing in profits. A President cannot spend all his time in marketing trying to perfect slight of hand, the goods purchased by consumers will either be from quality and reliability or the consumer will vote you off the board with their dollar.

In business, a President is the Shepard and the sheep; you have to care for you flock, keep them healthy so that they loyally produce for you and you have to show them you are not above spending time with them getting dirty.

Most of all a President needs the experience of creating something from scratch, feeling the pressure and pain of deadlines; set backs, red tape, bureaucracies and liability issues. Remember folks, America is a multi-trillion dollar economy, it needs to be regarded as a company, when profits are unhealthy, you know you are going to face massive unemployment. When we manipulate our currency, our foreign customers are going to look for business elsewhere. It’s simplistic, but accurate.

James Madison
James Madison
Mr. James Monroe
Mr. James Monroe
Andrew Jackson aka "The Dueler"
Andrew Jackson aka "The Dueler"

Family Man/Woman:

What should be least controversial I am sure to make extra controversial (through common sense). The POTUS to be should have a stable family with at least two children and be heterosexual. Let’s be 100% clear on this qualification; the homosexual community by many a measure only makes up to 4% of the American population. Just like a Green Party or Libertarian candidate, identifying with 5% or less of the population will make for terrible prioritizing of national issues, and polarization of Presidential authority.

The less scandal that can be manufactured by the media makes all the better to focus on job initiatives. Look what happened to Andrew Jackson, he was with Rachel Robards who was technically still married to her soon to be ex-husband, but Jackson’s nemesis plied him with base accusations.

Other than George Washington who was peerless to be President at such a momentous time, no Presidential election has been free from character assassination. John Adams was exposed to maligning from his own Vice President Mr. Jefferson, talk about performance pressure…

There may always be an exception here or there, but America needs a leader who understands compromise with a spouse, the joy and heart ache of children, plus exercising of family values.

Family values demonstrate the keen sense of how a President will guide his American family. There are aspects to having a family of your own in which you cannot dismiss or sympathize with if never having had one. Having your own family is tied to owning your own business, you simple cannot say I understand what you mean if you actually don’t. Family values portray self-sacrifice and dedication to higher calling than oneself. I do struggle to put emphasis on “self-sacrifice” because nowadays, Presidential candidates have such polished, sheltered and catered lifestyles, really how hard is it to provide a good life for offspring, other than making sure to show up and remind them who bore them.

(Aside)

For the record, there is a former running mate for VP that for sometime did do a good job of portraying family values and average class rights. As of late, there have been judgment calls by several members of this family that have been mind numbingly devoid of common sense and quite frankly unfit for high office. When you know you are under a microscope you adjust accordingly, you do not treat the microscope as a showcase for talent TV. In my eye’s I do not take this family serious anymore as a contender for any office other than party fundraiser and sideshow.

"Bully"
"Bully"

Self-made Individual:

Think for a moment about former POTUS who were formed and refined by adversity, epic calamity, world crisis and self determined will. Certainly my list would contain the first 7 Presidents, though John Quincy benefited greatly through his fathers appointments, so he is the weakest of these 7. Not withstanding an unrememberable office, Millard Fillmore who was apprenticed from a clothmakers firm and married a teacher, he had a hill to climb. Lincoln is obvious and may he remain that way eternally.

It is notable the Roosevelt family, more particularly Teddy who was despised by Woodrow Wilson (our first real 20th century elitist). Teddy is an enigma, had his father’s wealth not existed, I doubt he would have even survived his bouts of asthma, as he was under constant care and affection. Truman was self-made and experienced failure. Dwight Eisenhower’s military career speaks for itself. Then there is that pompous peanut farmer I love to hate, nevertheless I give Carter credit for his dubious ascension. The last of the great self-made men ends with Mr. Reagan. Most of these men were well in age and experienced with all sorts of life before taking the reigns of high office.

Givem Hell Harry Truman
Givem Hell Harry Truman
The Austere President Wilson
The Austere President Wilson
Dwight D Eisenhower
Dwight D Eisenhower
Carter (with smile, minus the sweater)
Carter (with smile, minus the sweater)
"Dutch"
"Dutch"

No More Lawyers!

This is my personal preference, but also notable that a lawyer first sees a problem and wants to devise a new law in place of examining the cause of the problem. There are legislatures, house members, and Senators enough with law credentials; our White House has become a member’s only party of code talkers.

{Two lawyers talking} “Hey William, have you noticed how fat Middle America is lately?”

“I sure have Charlotte; we should devise a new bill where the lower and middle classes should be forced to pass through a weighing machine set up in front of grocery stores and restaurants. If their body weight is 10% above the average healthy specification set by our FDA, then they are not allowed to buy anything but celery and vitamin water.”

“Oh, what a terrific idea William, I sure am glad we get free passes.”

Enough! Murderous regimes do not need some professor waving his finger and tisk tisking bad behavior…

*(momentary rant)

*A great example in history of a finger waver and a doer; November 4, 1979, when sweet little President Carter was in office with his nice broad smile and cardigan sweaters, our American embassy in Iran was overrun by terrorist demonstrators. At first there were 66 hostages, then a few were released, brining the total to 52 American’s being tortured, starved, paraded and held in captivity by Iranian terrorists (some called them radical students) for 444 days. Carter was powerless to free them, and any attempt made led to further embarrassment and the feckless death of 8 American soldiers. At the time there was another monster in waiting being fortified with arms and money to invade Iran…Saddam. Call this over simplified, call this next statement overreaching, but it is funny how January 20, 1981 the day our beloved ball buster took office, the American hostages were let go. Iran did not want a piece of Reagan, which is recognition of someone who would do something about terror versus aimless postulating and waffling. (Another good comparison is the Iranian helicopter rescue attempt versus the Granada invasion = real determination to get a job done)

Historical Perspective;

What better way to rule the largest company in the world than through the understanding of that companies past and the competition with which has threatened it? I am not saying the POTUS to be should have a Doctorate in world history, but a BA would be nice. A POTUS can more easily avoid failed policies and doom if they recognize a particular play has already been tried, it’s better than going to the same old running play that has destroyed other empires.

Love the ones you brought (Check References):

Your family and friends speak volumes about the kind of person you are. You have spent a great deal with them through your life so you must have a bond and shared values. If a candidate is embarrassed by them and crows three times in the public square, then either you are a coward, or you know you are hiding something about yourself.

Military Service:

Lastly, I strongly believe that a POTUS should have spent at least three years in the armed services. From a perspective of experience, respect, and operation familiarization, a POTUS should understand the differences between civilian initiative and military orders.

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Ronald Reagan 1981 Inaugural

Who will he bow to next? The Burger King?
Who will he bow to next? The Burger King?
working

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