Should you have prior elective office experience before running for President of the United States?

SPC Erich Guenther — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 09:10:48 -0500

This comes up every Presidential election cycle. One candidate accuses another of not having enough experience to be President. My own opinion is the office is fully designed for someone to be elected to it with no prior elective office. The staff and budget of the White House is huge and there are plenty of really experienced people there advising the POTUS making previous experience moot for me. However, I would not vote for someone with an Anger Management issues, nor would I vote for someone with a my way or highway approach to running the Oval Office. So those attributes would still be important to me. Curious what others think on this though as the issue keeps comming up over and over again.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2020 9:17 AM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 09:17:13 -0500

The current admin has certainly been a radical shift toward increased executive power over government. Time will tell as to the effects.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Feb 12 at 2020 9:22 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 09:22:58 -0500

Those attributes change with the times, I believe it’s just luck when the best President is elected to meet the current issues and those unexpected.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 12 at 2020 9:36 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 09:36:58 -0500

It's a damned good question. I didn't support President Trump's bid for the GOP nomination in 2016 for these very reasons and was forced to vote for him in the general election only because the alternative, Hillary, was a proven failure as a leader at every level and a suspected criminal. (Those suspicions have only grown stronger and I am left to wonder why she has not yet been indicted.) Still, that leaves us with the bull in the china shop and the mess he will leave us to clean up. Still, to be fair, the place was a mess before he arrived. An even better metaphor might be that President Trump is the wrecking ball in a much needed demolition that's needed. We have to clear away the debris before we can rebuild a more perfect union. I only hope and pray that we dust off the Constitution and follow its original plan.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2020 9:40 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 09:40:08 -0500

Experience is a double edged sword. For example, our guy Joe has been in Government since 1972. You would think he would have an extensive resume of accomplishment. Yet... not so much. If anything, his resume has been an albatross around his neck.
Then there is the polar opposite embodied in Trump. He has lots of experience as an executive, and it shows. He also didn't know didley about how government works... and that also shows.

Response by Maj John Bell made Feb 12 at 2020 11:30 AM

Maj John Bell — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 11:30:17 -0500

No.

If you want things the way they've always been done, keep doing thing the way they have been done.

If you want someone to kick over the trash cans and get things going, bring in a disruptor.

Each has its time and place.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2020 12:01 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 12:01:50 -0500

My understanding of the Framer's intent for this office, as well as both sides of the Senate, was to have the ordinary man put down his plow share, serve one or two terms, then go back home and pick his plow share back up. I do not find anywhere that they were excited to have professional careerists in office. The exception being SCOTUS.