What's a more important quality in a president or a politician?

Question

Having strong personal principles, or representing the people?
Is it acceptable for a politician put aside the wants of the people, in favor of their own personal beliefs?

Answer 1

Representing the people.

Because you're President of the United States, not President of Just the People Who Voted for Me or Like Me.

Answer 2

I think the most important qualities for a president to have are honesty, integrity, intellect and the grace to admit when he has made a mistake. I think he or she should take accountability for the errors during their administration and that they remember they are an employee of the American people. They have to remember what the people want rather than what they personally want. I am so sick of the thug politics of the Bush administration. His personal beliefs might be to the detriment of the nation. He should listen and hear the people, not force his own will on them or ignore the people that are expert about a subject.

Answer 3

A politician's job is to represent the wills and wants of their electorate. That politician's personal beliefs are only relevant in as much as they represent the beliefs of the electorate.

However, the electorate is not a unified whole. No one gets 100% of the vote. The electorate should, in theory, choose the candidate who best represents their views. If the politician's personal principles are what is important to the electorate, they are important; if they are contrary to the views of the electorate, they are meaningless.

Answer 4

It is NEVER acceptable for the president to put aside the wants of the people.. the only time that would be acceptable is if some impending disaster were to come up.. and then.. then he must be TRUTHFUL to the populace and explain what he is doing.

Other than that.. he is just a tool for the use of the people of the country. Way too many presidents, and this one especially, have put their own desires before the country.. and look where we are.

Answer 5

I want a president that is smart, honest and has integrity. Anyone who has strong personal principles like that will most likely act for the good of the people and not in his/her own best interest. It should never be acceptable for a politician/president to push their own personal agenda.

Answer 6

No, that's not ok. A political figure, ESPECIALLY the President, should always represent the people. It's rather utopian but anything less would bring us back to the dark ages when kings would form their own religions & laws based on their own personal moods and beliefs and then kill anyone who thought otherwise.

Answer 7

You cannot apply the same question to the president as you can the politican. The president sets national policy, otherwise he is powerless. Its the politicians, particularly Congress who hold the power as the peoples representatives. It is them who should be holding their constituents desires close to the heart and setting aside their own agenda.

Answer 8

Honesty, something that has taken a backseat lately.

Look at Ron Paul getting attacked at the debates for giving the right answer re the 9/11 reasons for attacks.

Look how many applauded Rudy for giving an incorrect answer that sounded 'all-American', we need to get educated too.

Answer 9

It is entirely acceptable for a president to ignore the wishes of the people if he really believes that his solution will benefit them better. Face it, the average American is retarded and only cares about what goes on in their circle of life. No president will ever represent the people because the people as a whole don't know what they want and they disagree.

Answer 10

This is supposed to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Stalin and Pol Pot had strong personal principles and look where that got their people.