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Should US Presidential Candicates Be Tested?

Should US Presidential Candidates Be Tested?

  • Yes

    Votes: 1 4.3%

  • No

    Votes: 22 95.7%
  • Total voters
    23
MildSteel

MildSteel

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I think it's time to come up with some more stringent requirements for someone to be President of the United States. Right now we only require that a person be a minimum age and be born in the US. We need a little more than that for such an important office. Presidential candidates should be required to take a test to make sure that they have at least a basic understanding of some of the major issues and are able to give some sort of decent analysis of the current major points of tension in foreign policy.

What do you think, is it time for US Presidential candidates to be tested?
 
MildSteel said:
I think it's time to come up with some more stringent requirements for someone to be President of the United States. Right now we only require that a person be a minimum age and be born in the US. We need a little more than that for such an important office. Presidential candidates should be required to take a test to make sure that they have at least a basic understanding of some of the major issues and are able to give some sort of decent analysis of the current major points of tension in foreign policy.

What do you think, is it time for US Presidential candidates to be tested?
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a test............... are you serious? And they can only run if they get an A+????
 
If a candidate doesn't understand the issues, their opponent would probably grill them over it anyway. This test would just complicate the process of electing the President, without producing any meaningful improvement in the system already in place.
 
MildSteel said:
I think it's time to come up with some more stringent requirements for someone to be President of the United States. Right now we only require that a person be a minimum age and be born in the US. We need a little more than that for such an important office. Presidential candidates should be required to take a test to make sure that they have at least a basic understanding of some of the major issues and are able to give some sort of decent analysis of the current major points of tension in foreign policy.

What do you think, is it time for US Presidential candidates to be tested?
Click to expand...

No, the Constitution is quite clear what is needed. As for understanding of the issues etc. the nomination process is suppose to weed out the weak, although it doesn't always work. Then there is the election. If the voters elect a candidate that doesn't have a basic understanding, your words, what happens next is on the voters or the American public as a whole.
 
I can't see an actual test as anything more than a further complication in the nomination/election process. Although not perfect, gaining nomination and getting elected is supposed to be the test. Also, I would imagine that making a test that qualifies as objective would be a monumental task and could be subject to partisan bias.
 
If a candidate can eat an entire live baby duck on TV, I will vote for them.
 
MildSteel said:
I think it's time to come up with some more stringent requirements for someone to be President of the United States. Right now we only require that a person be a minimum age and be born in the US. We need a little more than that for such an important office. Presidential candidates should be required to take a test to make sure that they have at least a basic understanding of some of the major issues and are able to give some sort of decent analysis of the current major points of tension in foreign policy.

What do you think, is it time for US Presidential candidates to be tested?
Click to expand...

They have to pass a very difficult test already: they have to win the votes of enough people to get the most electoral votes. That is harder than any test you can think up.

Edit: I would look a lot smarter if all you guys would wait until I had posted my wisdom before posting the same thing I will post...:3oops:
 
MildSteel said:
I think it's time to come up with some more stringent requirements for someone to be President of the United States. Right now we only require that a person be a minimum age and be born in the US. We need a little more than that for such an important office. Presidential candidates should be required to take a test to make sure that they have at least a basic understanding of some of the major issues and are able to give some sort of decent analysis of the current major points of tension in foreign policy.

What do you think, is it time for US Presidential candidates to be tested?
Click to expand...

It would make more sense to test the voters.
 
Well, honestly, we could have saved a lot of time if Sarah Palin had been tested. Seriously - I'm not saying this to be flip. I would venture to guess that John McCain also wishes she would have been tested. Would have saved him a lot of embarrassment, and possibly even won him the election. People all across the aisles were too afraid that he was going to kick the bucket, and we'd end up with a President who couldn't name a single newspaper she read regularly.
 
MildSteel said:
I think it's time to come up with some more stringent requirements for someone to be President of the United States. Right now we only require that a person be a minimum age and be born in the US. We need a little more than that for such an important office. Presidential candidates should be required to take a test to make sure that they have at least a basic understanding of some of the major issues and are able to give some sort of decent analysis of the current major points of tension in foreign policy.

What do you think, is it time for US Presidential candidates to be tested?
Click to expand...

The voters should be the test. In my opinion the problem really isn't with ignorant people running, its with ignorant people voting.
 
MildSteel said:
I think it's time to come up with some more stringent requirements for someone to be President of the United States. Right now we only require that a person be a minimum age and be born in the US. We need a little more than that for such an important office. Presidential candidates should be required to take a test to make sure that they have at least a basic understanding of some of the major issues and are able to give some sort of decent analysis of the current major points of tension in foreign policy.

What do you think, is it time for US Presidential candidates to be tested?
Click to expand...

If we want testing for the presidency you might want to start further down the ladder. That is the way they do it in the financial industry or in academia.
 
Superfly said:
thanks for the warning
Click to expand...

It's mostly a mottled greyish green, but there's some red pustules on it, and for some reason all the veins on it are now bright orange. As for the texture, it somehow feels slippery and gritty at the same time! How weird is that?

Fortunately, I lost all sensation in that area of my body about when the prickly purple stuff started growing on my scrotum. I was starting to think the pain would drive me insane!

Also, the smell of chlorine and pepperoni is constantly wafting up from down there. That might be the strangest symptom of all...
 
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The German said:
a test............... are you serious? And they can only run if they get an A+????
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Yep, I'm serious. It would be fairly rigorous. Part written, part oral. Very rarely would someone get an A++, if at all. They just need to be at a level of basic proficiency. Somebody running who is going to be President of the United States should at the very least be able to elaborate at length on the significance of Marbury vs Madision for example.
 
Perotista said:
No, the Constitution is quite clear what is needed. As for understanding of the issues etc. the nomination process is suppose to weed out the weak, although it doesn't always work. Then there is the election. If the voters elect a candidate that doesn't have a basic understanding, your words, what happens next is on the voters or the American public as a whole.
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The problem is, as you have indicated, that the process does not always work. It's far too important a position to let someone who is not at least knowledgeable slip through the cracks.
 
Redress said:
They have to pass a very difficult test already: they have to win the votes of enough people to get the most electoral votes. That is harder than any test you can think up.
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They should have to pass that test as well. We need people who have at least demonstrated a command of the issues.
 
jimbo said:
It would make more sense to test the voters.
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In an ideal world we would do that too, but that's not going to work because then you would have people working very hard to disenfranchise people because of some sort of test.
 
Anagram said:
The voters should be the test. In my opinion the problem really isn't with ignorant people running, its with ignorant people voting.
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It's both.
 
How 'bout a lie detector test? If they pass, they fail for lying too well.
 
MildSteel said:
I think it's time to come up with some more stringent requirements for someone to be President of the United States. Right now we only require that a person be a minimum age and be born in the US. We need a little more than that for such an important office. Presidential candidates should be required to take a test to make sure that they have at least a basic understanding of some of the major issues and are able to give some sort of decent analysis of the current major points of tension in foreign policy.

What do you think, is it time for US Presidential candidates to be tested?
Click to expand...

The campaigns and elections (primary and general) are the test. A good executive does not rely on only their own knowledge and experience - they surround themselves with experienced and trusted advisors to present policy options and then choose among them. Trying to get any large organization to perform or alter a plan requires more than the effort of any one person. A good leader sets goals, defines priorities and then ensures that those under them remain focused on those areas.
 
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