A Better Way to Pick a President
And every other elected official
It is often said, “The United States President is the leader of the free world.”
Without delving into this statement’s hubris, shouldn’t that mean we have a way of guaranteeing we have a leader, not just someone who does well in the polls?
Taking a page from John Quincy Adams,
“if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
So how do we find a leader or leaders to vote for? Here is my proposal.
No campaigning
A complete media blackout is needed. No candidate could be seen, heard from, or be spoken for or about on any form of media, including all social media. This would include no interviews, debates, baby-kissing meet and greets, conventions, tweets or posts from supporters or detractors. No coverage or opinion anywhere from anyone, anytime, no exceptions.
Not only does this solve the issue of campaign finance, since advertising buys are a primary driver of campaign costs, but it also means candidates will have to find other ways to attract voters.
New ways to attract voters
Each candidate will be provided a question list covering the values they think vital to a functioning democracy. The questions will also address citizens’ pressing concerns, developed from a survey polling all voters.
The candidates’ answers will be the sole information provided to each voter about that candidate. Answers will be limited to 70 words for each question and must be written by the candidate.
Blinded ballots
Ballots will be blind, absent names or faces, featuring only the candidates’ question replies.
This is sometimes referred to as blind recruitment, a method used by major companies like HSBC, Deloitte, BBC, and Google to ensure they’re bringing on the best talent. Blind recruitment is designed to eliminate bias based on name, gender, mother tongue, religion and socioeconomic background.
Eligibility
“Human” will be the only eligibility requirement for candidacy. This will necessitate a constitutional amendment, but will eliminate the minimum age as well as naturalization and birth requirements. It will also enlarge the field from 200 million to all 8 billion persons on the planet.
Suitability and vetting
Each candidate will be required to provide five letters of recommendation. One from a family member, one from a person with whom they had a failed or rocky relationship, one from a teacher, one from a previous employer and one from a co-worker.
These letters will be generated by the recommender using a list of questions that probe the candidates’ abilities and deficits in the following areas: empathy, vision, courage, integrity, humility, focus, cooperation, curiosity and flexibility.
What about democracy?
One person, one vote, no colleges, electoral or otherwise. Voters will choose their top three picks, ranking them 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
No Vice President
No Vice President. The top three candidates by vote will be the presidential committee. They will be required to co-create all policy as well as a legislative agenda. Additionally, they must unanimously agree on actions related to executive power.
Things that don’t change
Elections will remain on the same schedule. They are statutorily set by the Federal Government as, “the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.”
Inauguration will also not change.
The postelection requirements
Elected persons will be required to sell everything they own and donate the proceeds to charity.
Getting to know ‘real’ constituents
Elected persons will be required to apply for, obtain and work in a minimum-wage job for three months before being officially sworn into office. During this period, they will be required to find housing and pay all their own living expenses as the sole provider of their family (if they have one), without accruing any debt or favor.
Feel the pain
Once in office, if the elected persons send troops anywhere, they must embed with front line troops and provide care to the conflict’s wounded, solders, civilians and captives. A similar rule will be applied to environmental disasters caused by the elected person’s policies.
Remember it’s called public service
Upon leaving office the elected official will be required to spend an amount of time equal to their time in office working for an NGO chosen by the electorate.
Don’t look away
Elected officials must demonstrate to the electorate that every policy they are proposing to enact is, “of, by and for the people.” Each such policy will be reviewed annually by a randomly selected voters’ group to see if the policy is still meeting that test, and whether there are unintended consequences that might be reason for either amending the policy or scrapping it entirely.
Face the music
All elected officials will be required to host quarterly, all day “know your leaders” discussions wherein they answer questions directly from individual citizens.
Just one more thing. Do you remember Peter Piper?
How about Practical People?
A practical people picked a peck of proper presidents;
A peck of proper presidents the particular population picked;
If those practical people picked a peck of proper presidents,
Where’s the peck of proper presidents those practical people picked?
Answer: Doing the things we all know need to be done for the good of all people.
Thank you for reading.
