The December 17th issue of Time had some startling statistics on voters. According to Time, Democrats picked good judgment 33% of the time and Republicans picked it 21% of the time, when asked what the most important quality of a candidate is.
The other choices were leadership, character, experience and caring about people.
Call me crazy but how is good judgment not the top choice by a landslide regardless of what party you’re affiliated with.
If you have bad judgment experience means absolutely nothing. A person with good judgment would consult with people who have experience. Clearly, judgment is more important than experience.
Leadership and caring about people are fairly silly concepts that have little to do with presidential job performance. Obviously you don’t want a wimp or a sociopath in the White House but I think the bar is already set low. And all of the candidates clear it with room to spare.
Character is important in exactly the same sense that good health is important no? You need a minimum of both to be a suitable president. But the bar isn’t set that high for either health or character. You can have polio, or be a liar, and it doesn’t seem to have much impact on job performance. Both McCain and Obama have enough character, and health (I think), for the job.
So don’t you think good judgment should be the most important quality in a president? But how often do you hear someone say that a candidate has good judgment?
Which leads me to who I’d love to see be President.
Unfortunately, he’s not running.
You would think the strongest quality a successful business person has to offer is good judgment. In most cases, if you start with a little money, and end up with a lot, you have obviously made a lot of good decisions along the way.
But let’s get back to reality for a second. Is the President going to affect my life that much? Is this election that much more ‘historical’ than any other besides a black man running for President and a woman running for VP?
Big deal. It’s 2008!
It’s about time. I could care less what gender or color our President is.
I watched part of Obama’s 30 minute infomercial last night. He keeps talking about hope and these tax breaks he’s going to give to people. And he keeps profiling these people who are in debt up to their eyeballs and can barely afford anything.
Sad story indeed. But Obama nor McCain are miracle workers. They aren’t going to make your life that much better or worse. Only you can make your life better or worse.
The amount of faith and hope people have in Obama (and McCain) is frightening to me. He’s not the answer. He’s not going to miraculously change your life if you’re desperately struggling.
This era of complete irresponsible consumption like buying homes you have no business living in because you can’t even come close to affording it or maxing out your credit cards thinking it’s free money is mind-boggling to me. Who do these people think they are?
Who do you think you are?
It’s these same people who depend on a President to make their life better as opposed to themselves.
Whatever happened to personal responsibility in this Country? Like taking responsibility for your own actions? Your own life? Like buying things you can afford. Like living at, or dare I say, below your means!?!
Whoever wins, wins.
But I’ll be voting for the best decision maker.
And the making my life better part? I’ll leave that up to yours truly.
[Some nice comments over at BrazenCareerist.com too!]
A very, very good point. You should run for president. =P
Yes! I vote for they guy that’s going to be most beneficial to the country, not the guy that’s going to be most beneficial to me. Personally, I don’t need any politician interfering with my life AT ALL. There is nothing they can do for me that I can’t do myself.
I have been in debt “up to my eyeballs”. I worked (and gambled) my ass off to get that debt to $0. It kills me to see friends and family wielding their credit cards like weapons and running up their debt. And it’s not like you can really say anything to them because their business is their business.
When I first registered to vote, I registered as a Republican (*gasp*). I did this because at the time, Republicans were for smaller government, and letting the people do for themselves. Somehow they got away from those morals and now both parties are like this ever growing machine that only work for themselves or their party and not the people.
@ Ben – Thank you very, very much. But no thank you! Way too much bureaucracy for me!
@ Wes! My man! There he is! You’re becoming famous around here. I totally agree. Both parties are so self-interested it’s terrible. Also, good for you in getting that debt to $0!
People don’t realize that when you have credit card debt you have a huge leak in your bank account.
Couldn’t agree more bro. It’s not that I like or dislike any particular candidate, it’s that I know that whatever they do won’t have nearly the impact on my life as what I can do. I can improve the things I care about.
Nothing drives me nuts more than someone who bitches and moans about how we don’t do enough for the homeless or inner city education, but won’t donate a dollar or a minute to help improve the cause themselves. They expect that somehow by pulling a little lever on a Tuesday every 4th year they’re doing their part instead of getting off their ass and making change happen.