Poli. Sci - PS500-PS600 Functioning in the Oval Office
I think a course of studies should be devised that would be highly recommended for aspirants to the Oval Office.
This course would be designed (and even taught - online?) by a panel of national and international historians, political scientists; retired diplomats, ambassadors, joint-chiefs-of-staff (Dept. of Defense); geographers; etc.
The purpose of this course would be to assure that 'any' potential candidate for the US presidency had successfully completed classes in the basic knowledge that any president and 'leader of the free world' should have.
This series of classes (say six to ten classes) would even include a travel component, in which the potential candidate would travel to various parts of the world, make note of economic, political, historical and cultural influences in a selection of 1st-3rd world countries, and be prepared to discuss his/her findings before a panel of the above-mentioned authorities.
Obviously, those potential candidates who had already taken this or that class, or traveled to this or that place, could challenge the class via an oral board, in order to receive credit.
I think that anyone pursuing the presidency has had that goal in his mind for many years. That being the case, he should begin this recommended course of study as soon as possible.
Quite a few of the parts of the course could be accomplished via online studies, with exams being written + oral, and monitored in an academic setting.
I think the above would help insure that the US had knowledgeable candidates for the presidency.
Anyone have a response to this?
Thanks for any replies.
Carol
EDIT: I changed 'required' to 'highly recommended' in the second line.
This course would be designed (and even taught - online?) by a panel of national and international historians, political scientists; retired diplomats, ambassadors, joint-chiefs-of-staff (Dept. of Defense); geographers; etc.
The purpose of this course would be to assure that 'any' potential candidate for the US presidency had successfully completed classes in the basic knowledge that any president and 'leader of the free world' should have.
This series of classes (say six to ten classes) would even include a travel component, in which the potential candidate would travel to various parts of the world, make note of economic, political, historical and cultural influences in a selection of 1st-3rd world countries, and be prepared to discuss his/her findings before a panel of the above-mentioned authorities.
Obviously, those potential candidates who had already taken this or that class, or traveled to this or that place, could challenge the class via an oral board, in order to receive credit.
I think that anyone pursuing the presidency has had that goal in his mind for many years. That being the case, he should begin this recommended course of study as soon as possible.
Quite a few of the parts of the course could be accomplished via online studies, with exams being written + oral, and monitored in an academic setting.
I think the above would help insure that the US had knowledgeable candidates for the presidency.
Anyone have a response to this?
Thanks for any replies.
Carol
EDIT: I changed 'required' to 'highly recommended' in the second line.
Comments
with the lessons available to be viewed by the public on cspan...
there should be an executive channel that had live video of the president (within reason) 24x7 showing ALL of his meetings (sometimes without audio) just so EVERYONE knows who he meets with...
Originally posted by Fran441
If you are born in the United States and can meet the requirements to become President (age, required signatures to be on the ballot, etc.), then you should be able to run for the office. Any American should potentially be able to grow up and become President, and it shouldn't be up to any panel to decide who is fit or unfit. That's why people are allowed to vote in this country, and like it or not, that's the way it should be.
People have to pass comprehensive exams to be doctors, lawyers, teachers, electricians, real estate brokers, etc.
But the highest office in the civilized world should have only the requirements of having been alive for 35 years and born in the US?
Seems a little sparse to me.
Carol
Originally posted by bunge
I think the campaign is the time to find out who the candidates are and it's the responsibility of the voters to figure it out.
bunge, I've read enough of your posts to know that you don't think that's possible. And history indicates that you're right.
Originally posted by Scott
You'd have to pass a constitutional amendment to require it.
Hi Scott -
Well, the classes wouldn't have to be required, exactly.
But the people who planned ahead for their careers and took
the classes would be ostensibly so much better prepared, and
so much more articulate, that it would quickly become obvious
that this curriculum was highly beneficial to successful
candidates for the oval office.
This course of studies would not be intended as a
punishment, or an obstacle.
Rather, it would be a means of lifting the knowledge level of
American presidential candidates. I think it would be quite
obvious during debates which candidates had exposure to
knowledge pertinent to the presidency, and which didn't.
Carol
Originally posted by torifile
bunge, I've read enough of your posts to know that you don't think that's possible. And history indicates that you're right.
People have to pass comprehensive exams to be doctors, lawyers, teachers, electricians, real estate brokers, etc.
But the highest office in the civilized world should have only the requirements of having been alive for 35 years and born in the US?
Seems a little sparse to me.
How many doctors, lawayers, teachers, electricians, or real estate brokers had to be elected by the general poulation to their position?
The requirements for becoming President are also a little more harsh then 'being alive for 35 years and born in the US'. First, you have to become the nominee from a major political party. Second, you have to raise huge amounts of money to run a campaign. Third, even if you aren't in a major political party and don't have huge amounts of money to run a campaign, you still have to manage to get the signatures of registered voters in every state in the country to even appear on the ballot.
Finally, you have to win the majority of electoral votes to become President. If a complete fool were to run for President, get enough signatures to be on the ballots of every state, and get the majority of votes in enough states to get a majority of electorates, then yes, he or she should be able to be President. That's the way our elections work.
If you would have these courses for the office of President of the United States, you would also have to have courses for the Vice President, the members of the House and Senate, and for members of the Supreme Court and other Federal Judges. After all, if the President passes these tests and he dies in office, and his Vice President fails the tests, what then? The Speaker of the House becomes President? What if the White House is controlled by one party and the House is controlled by another? Think of the chaos that would be caused should the Speaker of the House fail the test! Not to mention the whole checks and balances thing between the Federal, Legislative, and Judicial branches.
Should these tests exist at state levels too? Should we test state senators and representitives? Governors and Lieutenant Governors? Local judges? Plus, who is going to oversee and grade these courses? I can see Republicans pointing fingers at Democrats and vice versa should one of their candidates fail. All in the name of politics.
Plus, think of the money that this would require. You would give these courses to anyone who might want to run for President as well? Forget drafting candidates to run I guess if they haven't taken these courses. Maybe I would want to become President one day and go take these courses! Maybe I would go to Washington DC, meet with all of these 'important people', be winged to various locations across the globe, and then give my thoughts on global matters to a panel.
As for the debate comments, the candidates are all prepped out and generally have the questions beforehand. Moderators ask questions instead of candidates grilling each other. As a result, we rarely see a true debate any more. Candidates who do poor at debates just limit them to a few times, maybe 3 or 4, before an election, and demand they have the questions ahead of time so they can have their speechwriters give them the answers.
I'm sorry, but I just don't think this is a good idea. It goes against the ideals of our nation, where anyone can run for an office at some point in their life if they choose to do so, and I also believe that tests are a lousy way of saying someone is unqualified for a job. Don't get me started on teacher testing, etc.
Originally posted by bunge
I think the campaign is the time to find out who the candidates are and it's the responsibility of the voters to figure it out.
Bunge -
There are plenty of young US Senators and Representatives sitting around at the present moment with dreams of a future run for the presidency in their minds.
I envision that those aspirants take the classes as early on in their political careers as possible.
The classes ideally would be taught by people from BOTH sides of the political continuum, so that every controversial topic is addressed from both sides.
I think by the time of the campaign, it's a little late to be worrying about the education level of the candidates. Preparing to be president, imo, requires a lifetime of preparation.
Carol
Originally posted by Paul
I agree... but maybe a training program... that could be done in the months leading up to the inauguration after they are elected...
Hi Paul -
Well, the outgoing administration actually 'does' extensive briefing of the incoming people in the months before the inauguration.
But the kind of education I'm talking about for an ideal presidential candidate would take many years of study and learning before his/her run for office.
Carol
Originally posted by SDW2001
This is not a good idea. And I love the not so subtle implication raised...that being that our current President is unqualified. The myth that the Presidency is about raw intelligence and education is widespread. I tend to trust the framers of the Constitution on whom should and should ot be President. The kind of standards you are talking about is exactly what our founding fathers wanted to avoid.
Hello SDW -
Basically all I'm saying is that I think we should have in this country a course of studies available to any person who aspires to high political office.
That this course of studies would contain exactly the body of knowledge that any president would be glad he had at his disposal.
That these classes would be taught by the finest and most well-respected experts we could find from both sides of the political spectrum.
That travel and experience of other cultures would be included.
I think even debate training would be a highly valuable preparation.
>> "I tend to trust the framers of the Constitution on whom should and should ot be President. The kind of standards you are talking about is exactly what our founding fathers wanted to avoid." <<
On the contrary. Jefferson was one of the most highly-educated men in America in his day. He probably had the finest library in the colonies, filled with works by exactly the 'kinds' of political 'philosophers' I think our candidates should study today. He was well-read in every kind of scholarly and scientific discipline including agriculture, architecture, music, philosophy, history, literature, etc. Franklin was idolized in Europe for being one of the premier scientists of the times.
Our founding fathers would have highly recommended education for any endeavor in life...the presidency being no exception.
Carol
Originally posted by Carol A
Hello SDW -
Basically all I'm saying is that I think we should have in this country a course of studies available to any person who aspires to high political office.
That this course of studies would contain exactly the body of knowledge that any president would be glad he had at his disposal.
That these classes would be taught by the finest and most well-respected experts we could find from both sides of the political spectrum.
That travel and experience of other cultures would be included.
I think even debate training would be a highly valuable preparation.
>> "I tend to trust the framers of the Constitution on whom should and should ot be President. The kind of standards you are talking about is exactly what our founding fathers wanted to avoid." <<
On the contrary. Jefferson was one of the most highly-educated men in America in his day. He probably had the finest library in the colonies, filled with works by exactly the 'kinds' of political 'philosophers' I think our candidates should study today. He was well-read in every kind of scholarly and scientific discipline including agriculture, architecture, music, philosophy, history, literature, etc. Franklin was idolized in Europe for being one of the premier scientists of the times.
Our founding fathers would have highly recommended education for any endeavor in life...the presidency being no exception.
Carol
Well now I agree. The point is it should not be required...which is at least what you implied earlier. And good example on Jefferson...who was perhaps the most important person in framing our Democracy. It's just that I wouldn't support any requirement for candidates. Funny enough, one would imagine the when elected, the transitional team and process put the President-elect thorugh some serious training...and vice versa.