3 posts tagged “president”
So excited I had to do this last night!
After some initial reading and discussion with people I know, and quite a bit of thinking and internal debate, here's what rises to the top for me.
- "A deep connection with the needs, anxieties, dreams of the people," in the words of Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
- I am seriously worried about the widening gap between the haves and have-nots. There's something very wrong that, in the richest and most powerful country in the world, we can't afford to send our children to college or the doctor. And I say that not just from an altruistic perspective. Worries about money and life is very real to us. Our current quality of life can be lost in a flash. A lost job, unexpected health costs not covered by healthcare – if any of this were to happen us, we will have no cushion, and can quickly lose our home and fall into poverty. A good job, opportunities to keep learning, a simple home, a healthy life, good schools – these are my dreams, and I want my President to understand how cherished and threatened these dreams feel to me.
- Vision, optimism and leadership. He/she needs to have a compelling vision of what a better America looks like, and instill confidence in me that he/she can lead me there.
- For me, that vision needs to show how we can reforge our relationship with the rest of the world, especially in recognizing that providing economic opportunity and education is a critical tool in fighting terrorism.
- Strong organizer of people. Someone who can recognize and recruit talented people, and put them to good use.
- It's critical that the President can forge a stellar team that will help him explore issues rigorously from all angles. This means he needs to create an environment where divergent perspectives are not suppressed, but carefully listened to and taken into account.
- Intelligent, informed and rigorous, with a strong grasp of public policy and international relations.
- While I expect his/her team to do the background work and provide
smart points of view to the President, he/she needs to be capable and
willing to grasp the issues, ask hard questions, zero into the heart of
the matter, mind the details, and make wise decisions. At the least, he/she needs to
know more than I do, and be able to pronounce the names of foreign
leaders when addressing them in public!
- A pragmatist who understands "the art of the possible," who can
work with many different groups of people and the complicated machinery
of government(s) to make things happen.
- While a solid moral compass, and consistency to ideals and vision are important – I actually think the President should be savvy about the changing moods and conditions at home and abroad, be smart about timing, and be flexible so he/she can identify the most fruitful path to achieve his vision.
- Good communicator. He/she needs to inspire me, explain complicated
policies, and when doing something not instinctively the desire of the
public, be able to explain his/her actions convincingly.
- I don't expect my President to rule by opinion polls – in fact, I expect him/her to be able to make difficult decisions that put the long-term well-being of the country first, even if they are not popular. But I need him/her to make a strong case, and slowly turn people around. To be an effective leader, the President needs to keep the good will and confidence of the people. Being a good communicator is key to achieving that.
- Ethical, and able to put the interests of the common person and the environment above corporate interests.
- I'm realistic. I accept that politicians are no angels. I don't expect my President to be a saint. But I do expect him/her to not flagrantly trample on our rights, and our environment, for the benefit of private corporations.
Elections are coming up. My first as an American citizen. It is very exciting. And daunting. I want this to be thoughtful. It is a very important decision, who will be our next leader, given this very precarious time for a very powerful country.
As the first step in my decision process, I'm researching what makes for a great president. I've gotten a lot of interesting perspectives from scholars and other so-called experts. Now I want to know what real people think.
So here's my question to anyone who reads this: what are you looking for in your country's leader? What qualities are you looking for? How do you decide who you're voting for?
