The Congressional Disadvantage

Elections 2008: Oh the drama! The excitement! The anticipation of good things to come. Ah yes, the formation has begun and the media cacophony is getting louder. But how about some reality in all this noise? Let’s look for a minute at the presidents going all the way back to around 1900 (no point in going back further than that, is there?). Look at the highest level position they held prior to becoming president:

Bush (George W) – Governor
Clinton – Governor
Bush (George HW) – Vice President
Reagan – Governor
Carter – Governor
Ford – Vice President
Nixon – Vice President
Johnson – Vice President
Kennedy – Senator
Eisenhower – General
Truman – Vice President
Roosevelt (FDR) – Governor
Hoover – Sect’y of Commerce
Coolidge – Governor
Harding – Lt. Governor
Wilson – Governor
Taft – Sect’y of War
Roosevelt (T) – Governor
McKinley – Governor

What do you see there? I see a mostly Governors and Vice Presidents and relatively few exceptions. Eisenhower had ‘hero’ status from World War II and that was his ‘ride to the top’. There were a couple of Secretaries in there and even a Lt. Governor. How many senators? Hmmm…just a lone senator: JFK. How many representatives? Hmmmm…zilch. So historically speaking we can say that at least based on the last 110 years, positions in Congress do not provide good launching pads for presidents.

Now look at the current list of Presidential contenders (link to Washington Post list). What do you see there? I see lots of Senators (former and current) and even a few Representatives. Next next next… hmmm. We know Cheney is not running so that leaves out any VP’s this time around. If we use the Congressional factor as a likely disqualifier, that clears most of the field. That clears out Billary. That clears out the media darling Obama. That clears out the dark horse Ron Paul. And that leaves:

On the Democratic side:
Bill Richardson (Governor of NM)

On the Republican side:
Mitt Romney (former Governor of MA)
Mike Huckabee (Governor of AR)
Rudy Giuliani (Wildcard ex Mayor of NY under extraordinary circumstances)

Tada! Whew, that certainly changes the landscape from the one the media presents, doesn’t it? Silly me, changing the qualified candidate list with this criteria. Silly maybe, but the past backs me up. What does the past 110 years tell us? That the US voting majority prefers the experience coming from a job like Governor or Vice President over Congressional experience. They see that Governors and VPs have demonstrated leadership in high positions. And they see that Congressional jobs do not demonstrate leadership.

Indeed, what did the 109th Congress get done that was significant? What has the 110th Congress accomplished?

Anyway, will the DNC see this? Doubtful. They’re too focused on Bamery and perhaps keeping an eye on Edwards. Let’s see, early prediction for ticket: Romney versus Clinton or Romney versus Obama. Landslide in favor of Romney either way! You read it here first folks. :-0

Star Simpson – Stupid or Very Smart?

Now why would anyone go into an airport wearing a fake (but authentic looking) bomb device attached to her jacket? Star Simpson (move over OJ, there’s another Simpson in the news) did just that and of course this has been all over the news so I won’t rehash the details.

Either this chick is incredibly stupid or very smart. I go with the very smart. I mean I don’t know her or anything and there are after all, a lot of very stoooopid people in this world. But this one is a MIT student. MIT is no Harvard, but not just anyone can get in.

So I vote for very smart about 15 minutes of fame but not very smart about her future. What do you do when you want to get noticed and get your name in the news? Do something outrageous like this: that’s what.

Unfortunately, this gives her at the very least an arrest record and depending on how this goes, possibly a felony. True, she’s got everyone talking and that’s great for now. But what is going to do for her future? I wonder if she’s going to go into tech designer clothing and use this as a career launch?

So far, Ms. Simpson has been mum, so we must wait and see if she dumb or smart.

MIT student arrested for wearing circuit fashion