Should a Presidential Candidate Be Smarter Than the Average Bear?

You would think somebody running for the office of the leader of the free world - President of the United States would be smarter than the average bear, right?

     

Hey Boo Boo! Where's my Pic-a-nic basket, ninja?

I mean, it should be important to know basic stuff, like the Constitution, so you know the powers and limitations of the three branches of government, and the rights responsibilities of the citizens of this great country. You should know something about the world - allied countries, border issues, foreign policy, who is leading what - basic high school world geography and civics stuff. A leader should be able to name at least one world leader and country off the top of his or her head, address some global issues as a world citizen, and still reach out to all people - rich or poor, Black, White, or other. Aaaaaannnd - this is a big one - represent the best interests of all your people, rather than push the personal agenda of a few to the detriment of the many. Doesn't sound that hard, right? Instead, all I keep seeing in these laughable Republican debates and sound bites are:

For real, tho?

I will be completely honest with you here. I am a supporter of President Obama, and although I may not agree with everything he is doing, I temper that by admitting I don't know what is going on behind the scenes, and well, he is not just my President - he is the President of the United States. Plus he is fighting through a Republican-majority Congress with an obstructionist agenda, and Democrats that have no...ah, but all that is for some other 'nother post. What I am addressing here is the debacle I am seeing unfold before my very eyes. I listen - I really do. I firmly believe if you have a problem with the way the President is doing things, rather than complain, offer up solutions. But - what I am hearing is:

• Michelle Bachmann stating that everyone should be able to pay at least a little taxes. After all, for the equivalent of two Happy Meals, a poor person should be able to pay something for the year. Give back some of what you take. So - is she going to give back some of that farm subsidy money her family took? For the equivalent of some of her farmland laying fallow she should be able to give something back.

• Herman Cain with his selective and ever-changing memory of whether he met the woman who came public about his "proposition", and then taking pics with her, as well as not knowing, then knowing a little, then aware of some of the foggy details...all this on top of calling it a "lynching" by the media. Not to mention the accusations that happened before during is time as President of the National Restaurant Association. But Herman - you said racism is a non-factor these days, Why call it a lynching? If you want a true, graphic example of lynching, go here. It doesn't get more real than this. Stay away from the Clarence Thomas playbook - folks are smarter than that these days. To top it off he does not know anything. He keeps saying "That's what my people are for." Or he tries to Jedi mind-trick you by bouncing your question back to you. I could do a whole post about him alone, but he is being thoroughly "vetted" by other, more seasoned bloggers - shout out to AverageBro, OneChele, and Field Negro. Herman - you need new people.

• Rick Perry not knowing crap. He knows nothing. And he thinks that ish is funny! Is he high on something? Does he take a tab of E before he goes on stage? What the HELL, Texas? I think he is punking us. I keep expecting Ashton Kutcher to pop out from behind a curtain to let us know we are being punked just to say "Man! You should see the looks on your faces! We got you this time - HA!" Plus - he co-signs that whole birther crap. iCan't with you, Rick.

• Mitt Romney is all but being ignored in this whole crapstorm. Ultimately, I think his Mormon beliefs will hold him back, as Mormonism is being considered a cult by some. Yep - somehow in this country, there is some unwritten amendment that states the not only do you have to be a Christian to run for President, but you have believe in the correct Christianity to be considered seriously. Seriously? Seriously, as serious as Herman Cain's campaign manager sucking on the cigarette at the end of his porn-tastic campaign video. (Shout out to Damon Williams and the TJMS!)

• The rest of the candidates are just side shows to this hot, runny mess. I am really just stunned. I'm not even talking about how all of these guys keep blaming POTUS for the deficit, when most of it happened before his watch. Or how they are pissed we are leaving Iraq, saying President Obama cost us the war, when the SOFA written during the Bush presidency clearly stated we must leave by the end of 2011. Don't even get me started on the whole being mad that bin Laden was killed during President Obama's term.

 In other words, all we are getting is:

I want to hear solutions, not sound bites and catchy phrases. I want to be able to hear what you said, then be able to look it up - research it for validity. I want to see your sources and be able to gain an understanding of what your platform is. If you really want to see some facts, just go here or here. Neutral fact checking sites that will give anyone with a computer and some motivation for truth the scoop on the stuff you may question. To do some homework, you don't even have to be a brainiac.

You mean I don't have to wear these glasses?

The President needs to be smarter than me. He or she should be able to answer my questions and not kick me to the curb by telling me they are not going to answer it. The potential POTUS should be able to represent us on the world stage, because at some point, he or she has to leave this country and interact with the world. The President needs to represent good, wholesome family values, and embrace the idea that this country is diverse, with folks from all walks of life and persuasions. Say what you want about any policies you agree or disagree with, we have a POTUS that represents these and then some. No N-word Head rock in his front yard, no homophobic rants and clinics, no paranoid conspiracies. No playing find the pickle with random women. Just leadership that represents all of its citizens and the idea that this is still the Home of the Brave and Land of the Free *cue the National Anthem*.

What do you think we need in a President? Do you think the current field of Republican candidates sincerely have our best interests, or are there some selfish, ego-driven agendas going on? If you had to choose a Republican candidate, which one, and why? It doesn't even have to be one on stage. Just keep it civil, please.