Why Do We Keep Producing Unqualified Candidates in the US?
Hail to the Chief
In a country where any fine, young person can grow up to be president . . . . .
Why doesn't one?
Many of us are asking ourselves how did we get to this point in America? Look at this cast of characters running for our highest office. Where did they come from?
An early morning pundit recently made an interesting argument in an attempt to answer this pressing question. He said today's candidates have morphed from questionable candidates in the recent past. Candidates who ran for reasons other than actually winning the office they were seeking. They wanted to sell their book(s), they wanted to gain national name recognition, or they ran to shape the debate on a single subject. But because of skeletons in their closet, lack of experience, or extreme leanings to the right or to the left, they knew in the end they were unelectable.
But still they ran. And we let them. We supported them. We contributed to them. In our primaries, we even voted for them, knowing as well as they did that they were basically unelectable.
Since the end of the administration of Bush, the Younger, the cast of characters in the Grand Old Party have been varied and colorful. What they also have been is ridiculous. Sarah Palin, Herman Cain, Michelle Bachman, Mitt Romney, now Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and finally Donald Trump. Seriously?
This is the best we can do? We're supposed to take the Grand Old Party seriously with candidates like this? Why won't the good people in this party run? Where is Colin Powell when we need him? Where is the highest ranking black woman in history? Wouldn't that have been an exciting campaign, one worthy of this great nation? Did Paul Ryan run for vice president last time? Isn't running for his party's nomination kind of the next thing on his resume? Why doesn't somebody draft the governor of South Carolina? There are some great people in the Republican Party. Where are they when they are needed?
Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
When good people do not step up, we get the cast of characters we've been watching on our televisions for the past year. God Bless America. We're going to friggin' need it.
The 2016 Cast of Characters
All Good Things Must Come to an End:
Why? Why? Why?
How did we end up with these choices?
How did we get here?
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Comments
AUTHORShe got 3,000,000 more votes. I read this message before seeing who wrote it. Why do I bother?
Kathleen
He beat 16 of the best professional and experience Republican candidates.
Hillary was powerful, but people didn't elect her as president because she had no platform, didn't campaign, and is corrupt.
The democrats have no one, and the democrats have done noting in the last year and a half except resist. If you think that I am wrong then tell us what are their accomplishments under Trump.
Hillary couldn't beat Sanders, and she didn't beat Obama. And while Obama got to be president just because he was black, the country didn't want a president just because the candidate was a woman?
Thanks for trying.
- AUTHOR
Anyone. Because the only person he could ever beat was Hillary because of all the contempt in this country against powerful women.
Now it is nine months from the 2018 election, who are those candidates that will fill congress. If they are democrats then what have the democrats done to warrant their winning an election?
They have done nothing to date but resist and try to impeach president Trump. Is that a qualification for congress.
Looking forward to 2020, who is going to be able to run against Trump much less beat him?
- AUTHOR
Amen, Teaches, amen.
- AUTHOR
"The lack of understanding from supporters about the differences between allegations and proof, theory and fact, and the failure to place moral fibre and other personal qualities above traditional party allegiances, means that candidates can say and do pretty much what they like, and still maintain their core support." Preach on Brit friend.
Speaking as a Brit, it does seem crazy that the candidates now contesting the election have been chosen from all the other possibles. On the Democrat side Hillary has always been known to be deeply unpopular, and the subject of serious allegations (albeit most of them unproven or greatly exaggerated). On the Republican side, we have a man whom even most senior Republicans are now denouncing, albeit too late.
Could they have chosen better? I have seen many many interviews with Americans at the tops of their professions - journalists, scientists, businessmen, philosophers, historians and indeed politicians - and so often I have been impressed with their integrity, objectivity and intellect. Often I feel opinions expressed by American experts are more analytical and reliable than those of our home-grown British experts.
So there is no shortage of talent in America and I think I'd agree about Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice on the Republican side. And following her recent speech on the Democrat side, I think the current First Lady might be a better candidate than the previous First Lady! :)
But returning to the candidates today - and I would say particularly regarding Mr Trump - the lack of understanding from supporters about the differences between allegations and proof, theory and fact, and the failure to place moral fibre and other personal qualities above traditional party allegiances, means that candidates can say and do pretty much what they like, and still maintain their core support.
Thankfully I guess moderates and free thinkers in the swing states will still determine the result over the extremists, though that doesn't change the inadequacy of the choice available.
I think we were not paying attention to the future leadership of our country. We are now in a place where our decisions are going to affect us for years to come. God help us all.
- AUTHOR
Jodah: Thanks for your comment.
It seems both parties are corrupt and controlled by those with ulterior motives, so it probably will make little difference who the ultimate winner is. However, all either party needed to do to ensure success was to find an appealing candidate. They both bombed that.
- AUTHOR
Billy and Theresa: Thanks for the read and taking time to comment. T: I'll have to go back and add that choice, but then it will probably be the only one anybody selects! And you've known me long enough not to be surprised when I am outspoken. This election season though has really tested my patience. Not sure I will make it to Nov. 8 without spontaneously combusting.
- AUTHOR
Shari: Your information on Benghazi is outdated and inaccurate. The point of this hub is really where were the Republicans this year and why didn't any reasonable candidates step up when they were needed? If this woman is all the things you say she is and she gets elected, do they have anyone to blame but themselves?
I fear that our government has gone beyond corrupt and the media bias has contributed to the truth not being told. Just look at what Hillary Clinton did while Secretary of State. 4 Americans die even after months of pleading for help, the lie was spread that it was because of a video, and for 13 hours no help was sent to help those fighting for their very lives. She used a private server and did not turn over all her emails, instead they were deleted, she tried to tell us that there was nothing classified being sent or received, that also was a lie. Folks this is about our national security. The IRS, the Justice Department and the FBI are now political machines. And now this woman wants to be President of the United States. I can't believe the amount of people that cover for her and support her. I even fear the elections are now rigged with more and more illegals voting. What a mess! Franklin Graham is right, only God can save us now.
My, my, my, you are outspoken! :) I am in the middle of grading 350 exams (and I am not exaggerating - well, a little bit) and I needed a break. We have indeed sunk to some sorry depths in the last decade or so in terms of candidates. I think its a mix of many things, so I was stumped by your poll, because I kept looking for [] all of the above. :)
This election was the Republican's for the asking. All they had to do was stop the infighting and nominate a viable candidate....and somehow they failed to do that.
- AUTHOR
30 people have read this in about 4 hours and nobody has a comment?
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