[PenultimateManStanding]

Didn't Winston Churchill say something like "democracy is messy and inefficent, but it beats the alternatives?" Besides we already have a prequalifying criteria: the candidate must be able to kiss the money donors asses. The candidate must be able to grovel and equivocate. The candidate must have the personality trait of sucking up to people higher in the food chain and lording over those lower. And if we are to take Bill Clinton as the epitome, the candidate must have the capacity of endless self-deception.

[rwwff]

This "testing" thing is exactly what makes Iranian democracy a sham.

I design the tests, and you'll get a government full of Machiavelian executioners who will ruthlessly and efficiently pursue the economic requirements of the nation.

Let Pat Robertson design the test, and you'll have a government full of crusaders ready and willing to field an Army in the Middle East to lay waste the embrionic Second Islamic Empire.

Still interested in tests?

[PenultimateManStanding]

If I designed the test, you'd get a bunch of honest salt of the earth good guys who only want what's best for America! Plus, they'd round up Canadian radicals and interrogate them till the cows come home. Then I would step in and say "easy boys, these are my friends!" I'd invite them home for a good home-cooked meal featuring Lebanese salad with parsley and lemon and cracked wheat and we'd laugh about the crazy world.

[smiley]

How about a simple IQ test?

That would have avoided the whole mess Bush has gotten us in.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('smiley', 'H')ow about a simple IQ test?

That would have avoided the whole mess Bush has gotten us in.

[smiley]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')rong. Bush is a smart player.

[smallpoxgirl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('smiley', 'H')ow about a simple IQ test?

That would have avoided the whole mess Bush has gotten us in.

[smiley]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he guy graduated from Yale, and you don't think he can pass an IQ test?

[rwwff]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('smiley', 'H')ow about a simple IQ test?
That would have avoided the whole mess Bush has gotten us in.

[rwwff]

See other thread on the pedophile twit. He wasn't a Senator though, he was a House member. However, he had contemplated a Senate run.

As I mentioned in that other thread; these slime infiltrate any and every organization that potentially gives them access to the age group they hunt. Anything from a public school conselor, to church pastor/office worker/janitor, to boy scout leaders, to civil service/federal day care workers. There is one rule to pursue to counter them, There is NEVER a reason for a non-parental adult to be alone with a child. EVER.. No exceptions, no excuses. If something looks funny, or not right, challenge it immediately. An honorable person will not be offended in any way and will likely be comforted that there are other people keeping their eyes open. However, a predator... you will stop, and thus, a child's life you will spare from decades of wrecked misery.

It is YOUR reponsibility.
It is MY responsibility.

*I don't think there is evidence that the slime actually touched any kids, but it was only a matter of time, I'm sure.

[rwwff]

On testing... If you're going to exclude megalomania, you should exclude narcisism too.

They are equally dangerous in the hands of people with power.

Fortunately for democracy... you'd have to change the constitution, and you'd never get a sizeable number of red states to place the tests in the hands of liberal activists such as you find in academia.

[budeone]

IMHO .. yes... Holly cow.. just look whats going on... They should have a IQ test b4 running!

[perdition79]

In 2004, my county came pretty close to electing an unemployed radio "shock jock" with no law enforcement experience to the position of county sheriff. I'd say it's time for more demanding candidate qualification guidelines.

[rwwff]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', 'I') agree with you statement about peds though. Make it so that a non-parental adult shold not be alone with children. But most ped's find their victims through family ties and many do so by becoming parents.

[smiley]

Despite my earlier posts I am quite hesitant to lay any restrictions on who can run for office.

A general health check would be advisable. I talked about the suspicion about Bush having Alzheimer. For people from his age and his background early Alzheimer is a risk.

We already had a couple of cases (i.a. Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher) were leaders were diagnosed with Alzheimer just after leaving office. One cannot escape the notion that these people might have had the first symptoms of this terrible disease during their time in office.

But to lay any further restrictions on those running for office would impede the democratic process.

What I think is more constructive is to educate the people, so that they make a better choice in the elections. With better I mean that they use a rational process to come to their vote instead of relying on underbelly feelings and sound-bites.

A few years ago a party got elected here based on a program consisting of tax increases, spending restrictions and salary reductions. The reason they got elected was because they went to great lengths to explain the general public how the economy works and why these measures were necessary at that time.

I think it proves that the general public is not as stupid as one suspects. If our education institutions would work to give the people the general background in economics, politics, state affairs etc and the politicians would take the effort to explain their plans in detail, then the public will be able the make the choice based on the content of the package, not the appearance.

[JustinFrankl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ElijahJones', 'N')arcissism is very bad.