I share your concern about unqualified people getting elected. It seems to happen all the time around here (New Orleans) -- witness the bewildering case of William Jefferson who was re-elected yet again on Tuesday despite being one of the biggest sleazeballs to walk the face of the earth.
I will say, though, that many times it is the small town mechanic or florist or plumber who works hardest and smartest as an elected official. You just never know.
I have a Master's degree, so clearly I believe in education, but I would not support a requirement that anyone running for office would be required to have a degree. For one thing, I don't think that automatically qualifies a person to be a good representative, and by the same token, I don't think a lack of a college education automatically means a person will not be a capable representative. Most importantly, however, is that I believe strongly that we should have the choice to vote for whomever we choose, and I would not want the government telling me I can't vote for someone I believe in because she lacks the necessary education. Life experience DOES count for something.
~Ghostwriter, M.A.
“If, by a ‘liberal,’ they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people – their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties – someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a ‘liberal,’ then I’m proud to say I’m a ‘liberal.’”
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Sopal
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what would happen if all politicians had to have a certain level of education or have had more than x-number of years in specific professions?
"I'm tired, so please forgive my lousy English here... hope I made some sense"
Lousy English??? As usual your posts are well written - one could only hope that all of our American posters had such command of their first language!
One of the beautiful things about democracy is that anyone can be involved and come to lead.
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"You have no power over my body..." ~ Anne Hutchinson
We had some school board candidates who just ran and won that I am just shaking my head about.
That would mean that those who either couldn't afford or weren't inclined to pursue a degree would be excluded from participating.
I share your concern about unqualified people getting elected. It seems to happen all the time around here (New Orleans) -- witness the bewildering case of William Jefferson who was re-elected yet again on Tuesday despite being one of the biggest sleazeballs to walk the face of the earth.
I will say, though, that many times it is the small town mechanic or florist or plumber who works hardest and smartest as an elected official. You just never know.
The fact that she didn't go to college, sold Avon, and sat on a couple boards does not necessarily mean that she's unqualified.
“If, by a ‘liberal,’ they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people – their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties – someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a ‘liberal,’ then I’m proud to say I’m a ‘liberal.’”
~Ghostwriter, M.A.
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