Term Limits and Tests: Time for a New Approach

This is an old post from 2016 that has particular pertinence today considering the upcoming impeachment hearings and the commitment of Mitch McConnell and the rest to politicize the event and violate the Constitution by admitting to – and agreeing to – not being impartial.  This is where we are today. This is exactly what one could expect.

The election is over, but I want to talk about the process and the resulting aftermath.

The roster of Republican’s vying for the position of leader of the free world was the worst display of incompetent misfits ever gathered into one place. What I saw was personality disorders, pathological lying, lack of intelligence, lack of analytical ability, refusal to acknowledge facts, religious zealotry, magical thinking, and….I don’t know….bombast. Throw in a lack of empathy for others and a desire to neutralize and dis-empower  anyone  who disagreed with them, and the entire picture was so surreal it seemed impossible.

The “God” they invoked to support their viewpoints was nothing, of course, but an extension of their own narcissism, a smaller and even more horrible version of themselves, created specifically by them to be a mirror of their own ideology or that of the Evangelicals to whom they were pandering.

How is it possible that such incompetent people can run for the highest office in the land and expect to be taken seriously? Has America really fallen so low that the lowest common denominator necessary to be considered to run the country is that one can breathe and stand upright and rile up the ignorant masses? In all seriousness, this current political situation is so akin to the rise of the Nazis it is impossible to ignore.

Americans who value freedom and the responsibilities of citizenship have to stand against what the Republicans and radicalized Christians are trying to do to our country.

Our government seems completely corrupt. Our politicians are not in office to represent the welfare of American citizens or the United States. They are there for two things: power and money, and as career politicians they can get it. The system is self-supporting for those willing to sell their souls to it, and there are plenty who are unethical enough to go for the gold. They tap into the emotional insanity of the religious right to get the votes they want and sacrifice any commitment to fairness and intelligent secular thinking in the process.

Candidates for legislative positions, regardless of Party or whether they be State or Federal, should meet strict criteria to be considered for such work. How is it possible that one must have a minimum of eleven years of training and pass multiple examinations and licensure certifications – repeatedly – to be considered for the right to practice Medicine, but a representative or Senator must only be a citizen of a certain age to “rule” the citizens of a State or the entire country? How is it possible that a hair-dresser, plumber, electrician, and carpenter requires more training, testing, and certification than a legislator? How is it that applying for a job of almost any sort requires a minimum of education, technical skills, intelligence, and commitment to do the work – except for sitting in Congress or a State legislature – or even the Presidency?

Shouldn’t a congressman have, at a minimum, a basic four year liberal arts college degree? Shouldn’t a congressman have to pass a certifying examination to determine if they have an adequate base of knowledge in world history, government, geography, anthropology, sociology, world religions, physics, biology, math, chemistry, and law before even putting themselves up for consideration? Shouldn’t a congressman or legislator have basic analytical thinking skills? Shouldn’t they have the ability to reason based upon facts? Shouldn’t they be able to demonstrate good character, as in honesty and integrity? Shouldn’t the President?

Shouldn’t a congressman or legislator or President be required to take the MMPI and MBMD personality and psychological profiles to make certain they are not  a complete nut-job before taking on the task of ruling the people? Why are we not demanding stringent performance criteria be applied to those who purport to be “qualified” to rule the people and determine the course of the United States of America?

Just look at those who are always in the news, running off their mouths about everything from the Constitution to culture to immigration to how to understand scientific thought. Sarah Palin and her equally foolish daughter Bristol, ego-maniacal bully Donald Trump, the liar Carly Fiorina, the skin-head Anne Coulter, the religious zealot and hypocrite Mike Huckabee, the vicious war-mongering TV personalities on FOX News, the law-breaker Apostolic Christian hypocrite Kim Davis, the anti-education moron Scott Walker, the homophobes Rick Santorum and Pat Robertson, the wet noodle silver-spoon-in-the-mouth spineless Jeb Bush, the throw-the-baby-out-with-the-bathwater Ted Cruz…shall I go on? Even Ben Carson, a pediatric neurosurgeon, one of the most educated people in the world, has a complete inability to be analytical when it comes to the junction of his religious beliefs and science – in short he’s a complete idiot even if he’s a savant when it comes to neurosurgery.

The only solution to this problem is to demand a basic education requirement and the successful completion of a thorough written examination, and the successful completion of psychological and personality examinations with a normal result before one can be considered for candidacy for high office. Then remove all the perks associated with serving in high office, and I mean ALL of them, to eliminate the personal gain associated with political office. Limit the time one can perform the job: a single term of three years for a Congress Representative, a single term of six years for a Senator, and a single term of six years for President. No repeats, no re-elections. Same for State positions and Governors. All of these jobs are “public service” jobs, not career jobs. Salaries should be just enough to cover living expenses, and all benefits should be terminated as soon as they leave office. No forever pensions, no forever health insurance, no special travel perks, no follow-up jobs as lobbyists. In and out, that should be the rule. That is the only way to get people who are interested in responsible and ethical public service who are there for the right reasons. It’s also the only way for the country to re-establish the concept of equality under the law for all citizens and to eliminate the stranglehold the wealthy have on the average person. The regular citizen has to be represented by intelligent, educated, honest, people dedicated to the concept of freedom and fairness. As it stands now, America has become a country with a government that cares only about itself, run by wealthy ideologues and religious zealots. The process of running for office has become a freak show, a circus event.

But how does one get those in control of the government to pass a bill requiring term limits and a minimal educational requirement for themselves, let alone a personality/psychological inventory? The fox is guarding the hen-house. They will never do it. They have too much power and money to lose. The only way is through an uprising of the people, and I don’t see that happening unless the people get fed up enough to start a civil war.