A New Approach to Assessing Candidates

So much—almost all—of the news about the Presidential campaign is about national and world issues. The irony is that from January 20, 2017 to January 20, 2021 our president will face unknown issues and widely varying issues from those known now.

So if we cannot judge a candidate based on their opinions on national and world issues, how then do we choose? My solution is to assess candidates not so much on their speaking ability or their position on the issues, but rather look at their lives, how they lived them, and especially their character and what they accomplished.

Scott Walker was a winner, having three gubernatorial victories in Wisconsin, one being making U. S. history as the first governor to win a recall election. Unfortunately, he dropped out of the race. I see this as a great loss for the Republican party and our nation, as I believed he could have followed in President Ronald Reagan’s footsteps.

Our nation can’t be strong militarily if it is not fiscally sound. We have a bloated federal government and entitlement that must be reformed in order to prevent us from evolving into a “Banana Republic” with such things as a currency crisis, inflation, and a Federal Reserve that has to print up money to avoid deflation and depression-like conditions.

Issues matter. But more important is to have a president who can solve these problems and who calls solving complex problems “fun.”

Though the challenges that Reagan faced are far different than what our country faces today, he is still an excellent role model for current presidents.

Issues matter. Electability matters. Governing matters. But wisdom, character, courage, leadership, innovation, life experiences—the whole life of all the candidates—matters more.

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