Is it bad to want to be President?

[Scott C.]

Why is Hillary Clinton pummeled for always wanting to be President? Why does Barack Obama need to defend himself for writing an essay in Kindergarten (or something like that) saying he wants to be President when he grows up? If he said "I love my country and I'm goal oriented. I've always believed in myself and my country and have felt from my youth that I can and will be President", would we gasp and throw him out? Or, would we be impressed? Why, when someone like Mitt Romney, who was not a household name, comes forward and spends millions of his own dollars on his campaign, do we criticize that? Is he not being a patriot? Would his money be better spent on a lavish lifestyle? Should he leave the running for President to someone more expected to run?

The question here is "Is it bad to want to be President?" Do we assume candidates are motivated by ego and lust for power? Should the best and brightest stay home and do something else?

 

[Harmony]

Being president is like being Queen of England. You get to sit on a thrown and be able to do what you want. It's like being able to rule the world and having the power to push that red button. Just a thought.

 

[rojse]

I don't see people that do not want to be President campaigning for the top job, so the question seems somewhat silly.

 

[Scott C.]

I don't see people that do not want to be President campaigning for the top job, so the question seems somewhat silly.

Uh? Of course people who don't want the job, don't run. That wasn't the question. The question is, does the general public think it's wrong for a person to want the job, and is this why the public so strongly criticizes those who want the job.

 

[Scott C.]

Being president is like being Queen of England. You get to sit on a thrown and be able to do what you want. It's like being able to rule the world and having the power to push that red button. Just a thought.

You didn't answer the question directly, but you said there is a lot of power that comes with the job. So, are you saying that it's wrong to want to be President?

 

[Harmony]

You didn't answer the question directly, but you said there is a lot of power that comes with the job. So, are you saying that it's wrong to want to be President?

I wouldn't mind being president but I don't want the resposibility. I just don't want to have to prove myself worthy by spreading my cash around and proving to those I want to vote for me that I will be decreasing your taxes and giving you better health insurance and ending this war. Can anyone we vote for actually make this world a better place to live and that there will be no war? Do you want to be president? If you do, what can you do for me? Can you fix my problems? Can you bring those in the war home to their loved ones? Can you help us all?

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be president. Just make sure that what ever this president say he/she will do, he/she will keep. Don't tell me one thing and go and do another or fix one problem by making another worse. Politics...it's really 2 sided.

 

[tomspug]

Considering that the Presidency is one of the hardest and most serious jobs in the world, I think it is important to consider whether or not the candidates running will take it seriously and WILL work hard.

 

[Francine]

Considering that the Presidency is one of the hardest and most serious jobs in the world, I think it is important to consider whether or not the candidates running will take it seriously and WILL work hard.

"The president jumped on a plane to start a five-week vacation. This will be the longest presidential vacation in 36 years. This means President Bush has now been on vacation for 27% of his presidency. That means the country could be 27% more screwed up than it already is." --Jimmy Kimmel

 

[Valjean]

When someone spends ten of millions of dollars to land a $400,000. job, I smell a rat.

 

[Scott C.]

When someone spends ten of millions of dollars to land a $400,000. job, I smell a rat.

You smell a rat if someone is willing to lose money to gain the presidency? Please explain.

 

[Francine]

You smell a rat if someone is willing to lose money to gain the presidency? Please explain.

It just means that the attendant power has a dollar value that is unspoken.

 

[tomspug]

It is an incredibly large financial investment on a personal level. Last time I've seen this much personal investment was when Mel Gibson made The Passion of the Christ.

 

[Valjean]

If I'm willing to spend $500,000,000 to gain a $400,000 x 4/year job, (Total: $1,600,000), must I not be either an economic idiot, or have some ulterior motive? That's clearly not a good return on investment -- unless there are some pretty impressive percs or monies passing under the table.
To continue the allusion, there's something rotten in Washington...

 

[Reverend Rick]

If I'm willing to spend $500,000,000 to gain a $400,000 x 4/year job, (Total: $1,600,000), must I not be either an economic idiot, or have some ulterior motive? That's clearly not a good return on investment -- unless there are some pretty impressive percs or monies passing under the table.
To continue the allusion, there's something rotten in Washington...

Ask Bill Clinton about the deal he just made overseas.

 

[Scott C.]

If I'm willing to spend $500,000,000 to gain a $400,000 x 4/year job, (Total: $1,600,000), must I not be either an economic idiot, or have some ulterior motive? That's clearly not a good return on investment -- unless there are some pretty impressive percs or monies passing under the table.
To continue the allusion, there's something rotten in Washington...

What if the motive is not about money? What if someone wants to serve their country, belives they have the personal capacity to lead, and has the money to run? Are you concluding that willingness to spend large amounts of personal money indicates corrupt motives?

 

[Somkid]

I don't think it is bad to want to be anything as long as it aspires to good.

 

[Smoke]

I think people think there's something unseemly about political ambition, even though you'd have to be fanatically ambitious to get very far in a run for the presidency.

In the early days of the Republic, aspiring to the presidency was considered crass and crude, and the candidates would stay home looking dignified while their supporters campaigned for them.

 

[jonny]

When someone spends ten of millions of dollars to land a $400,000. job, I smell a rat.

I'm assuming your comments are directed at Romney, since he's the only candidate that is spending his own money. Mitt Romney has said that he won't accept a salary as president. He didn't accept a salary as the governor of Massachusetts either.

Obviously, none of these candidates are running for the presidency for the money. They are running because they feel that they have something to offer the country.

 

[jonny]

I think people think there's something unseemly about political ambition, even though you'd have to be fanatically ambitious to get very far in a run for the presidency.

In the early days of the Republic, aspiring to the presidency was considered crass and crude, and the candidates would stay home looking dignified while their supporters campaigned for them.

Who changed this and how can we change it back?

 

[Valjean]

What if the motive is not about money? What if someone wants to serve their country, belives they have the personal capacity to lead, and has the money to run? Are you concluding that willingness to spend large amounts of personal money indicates corrupt motives?

And here's the crux of the issue. There are altruists who genuinely want to improve society. But those candidates actually in a position to be elected have been immersed in a corrupt political system for a long time. It must be assumed they have debts to pay, if not actually being in the pockets of political backers.
Political offices in the US are bought, they are won in expensive campaigns, and the campaigns are financed by corporations and big-money interets.

Until we get legislation mandating public campaign financing, political candidates must be considered bought and paid for.