how are you able to convince yourself that a one or 2 term politician has enough experience to run the USA?

Question

why do you not exspect more from your leaders

Tmess2 :good answer

Answer 1

Prepare for a long-winded answer here. Unlike other democracies, we do not slowly train our politicians.

In a parliamentary democracy, a young member of parliament may start out either as a junior minister/opposition spokesperson for the Environment Ministry. After the next election (or in a mid-term leaderhship shuffle), they may be moved to a position on Trade. Then they might be moved to Foreign Affairs. When they finally become the head of a department, it might be Labor. Then they might be moved to Treasury. Only then are they a candidate for the leadership of their party.

Compare this to the United States. If you are a governor, you will get executive branch experience but only on state issues. You might have some contacts with other nations in terms of promoting local products for exports, but you will have little or no contact with the more difficult issues of foreign policy. If you are in Congress, you will be assigned early on to three or four committees. In all likelihood, by the time that you have been in Congress for 20 years or so, you might have changed one or two of those committees for more prestigious committees. In short, your exposure to different areas of expertise as a Congressman or a Senator is very limited and you get no executive experience actually running a department.

The bottom line is that we elect a President based on something other than experience in this Country because we don't have many people who have the experience. Even former President Bush had limited experience outside of foreign policy. Instead, we go with people who seem to have the right vision for the future of this country and expect them to appoint the right people to cabinet positions to implement that vision. In the end, in any democracy, the quality of the other members of a cabinet is as important as the experience of the chief executive.

p.s. In terms of comparison, time in the House is not the same as time in the Senate. Because of the smaller number of Senators, each Senator has more responsibility as far as committee work. In addition, being there is no guarantee of the effort that the Senator or Representative will put into the committee. It is possible to merely be a vote as opposed to someone who tries to be a key member of the committee.

Answer 2

In the history of the US, we have had plenty of presidents, both good and bad, who had little or no political experience. I do not think political experience should be the determining factor in how you judge a candidate. After all, George Washington was never a senator or even rep and yet he became a great president. The office of president should go to a person who demonstrates a strong character, strong leadership qualities, civic virtue, intelligence, and popular support. You don't have to be in the senate for 30 years to acquire those traits. That's lke saying the Laker's shouldn't have drafted Kobe because he was only 17years old at the time. If you have the talent and ability, experience doesn't matter.

Answer 3

Power corrupts. If they stay in office long, they almost always develop the "me first" attitude gives the wealthy access (mostly through lobbyist) that regular people can't afford. Although experience in most jobs is a plus, I think the that with politicians, this only means they have adequate resources and ability to "spin" their actions to fill "special needs" of high-powered donors.

Answer 4

I'm voting for an expert in Austrian economics with 30 years house experience.

Ron Paul 08

Answer 5

Very strongly feel that a Senator knows how the system works, and one that voted against Iraq War sure has insight and courage to do best job they can, and not be used by aides or lobbyists. No one is fully qualified but previous president. Give me intelligence, straightforwardness and courage. He will pick people as good if not better to mind the store than Clinton and Carter picked. Obama 08.

Answer 6

There are no one or two term politicians running. Washington isn't the only place that politicians exist ya know.

Answer 7

First of all, Obama believes in himself, or he wouldn't be putting himself through the wringer of a brutal campaign. I like people with this much self confidence. I like someone who knows what he wants early on in his political career. He has the energy now to be a good president--he's not waiting until he's in his 60's to run. I'm in my 60's, and believe me, I don't have nearly as much energy as I did when I was 46.

I think Barack is soooo intelligent. He has the sense to surround himself with cabinet members and advisors who will help him devise effective plans of action to solve our nation's biggest problems.

I don't worry about his inexperience. I am more impressed by his honesty, his energy and his passion.

Answer 8

Just remember... it's not the results that count, it's the good intentions.... the definition of liberal thought.

Answer 9

I would rather a business person ran our country...not a lifelong live off the tit of America silver spoon bastard with no sense of morality or reality.

Answer 10

That's something I asked myself when people voted for Bush.