It occurred to me the other day that something is missing in our election process: a standard of fitness! Not the kind that makes one's heart race and muscles ache, but the kind of fitness that says that the candidate is qualified for the job. Then when one votes for a certain candidate we have at least an assurance that they have passed the 'qualification exam'. Think of it this way. When I visit a physician for checkup and prognosis I have in the back of my mind that they have spent many years in medical school, have interned for practicality and experience, and have passed an exam whose appropriate standards have been established for that profession. Image the next time you cross a bridge in your car, or use an elevator. Did you even wonder about the certifications of the individuals who designed the beams, supports, steel cabling, duty cycles, safety measures, and determined the maintenance schedules? Professions have exams to determine the fitness of an individual for duty in that profession. It is true that having passed an exam does not guarantee great fitness for the profession; however it does reassure one that the individual has obtained enough knowledge and understanding to begin a career in that field of endeavor. Lawyers, governors, attorney's general, ambassadors, senators, economic backgrounds, family political history, military academies: presidents have one thing in common - they were elected WITHOUT a "presidential fitness exam". There are 18 Departments currently in the United States government: State, Treasury, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Defense, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security. Any ONE of these departments could be a lifetime of challenge to effectively manage much less to coordinate within the current context of a changing world. It is overwhelming to think that today we continue to elect officials who may not have the emotional, intellectual, or experiential capacity to handle one of the most demanding, multi-tasking professions in the world. Presidents seem to be elected on their current ability to orate their beliefs, have access to massive amounts of campaign capital, amass the correct quality of inidividuals around them to become president, and the persistent desire to be 'the president'. Whatever campaign promises are made are insignificant to the reality that will occur when the election has been determined. Somehow the "President's Exam" has been overlooked. This exam would naturally include years of public service, overseeing of budgetary issues, hours at the 'Presidential Sim' software that would challenge the player into extremely difficult scenarios, including life and death decisions involving military and clandestine activities. (PS No airplane pilot can fly a plane today without hours in the flight simulator--and I'm glad for that!) Tough situational analysis questions involved in each department would be present for us, the voters, to see how the presidential aspirant answered them. We, the voters, could hear the speeches about thus and such but we could also study the depth of situational awareness in their testing situations. So before the baby kissing, back slapping, and promising anything to get elected begins, we would have some assurance that they have already met the reality of the job and have chosen to continue on to completion of their dream of service. The voters would be empowered to look behind the glamorous multi media campaign to determine the actual depth of an otherwise unheard of person. Let's begin the Presidential certification process!
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