The Folly of Wanting “Just Anyone” to Be President

 Why Experience in Politics Actually Matters

Can we?

There was a time I thought a country run by a businessman might be a good idea. After all, if someone can manage a billion-dollar company, surely they could run a nation, right?

Then someone asked me: “Would you want the CEO of your company to run the country?”

Absolutely not.

That was the beginning of a shift in my thinking. I had bought into the fantasy that a “non-politician” could somehow sweep in with fresh ideas and fix everything wrong with Washington. No baggage. No alliances. Just results.

But governing isn’t a solo project. It’s not an episode of Shark Tank or a hostile takeover. It’s managing 330 million people, each with needs, rights, and voices—not shareholders. It’s steering an unwieldy ship through treacherous waters, with entrenched institutions, conflicting interests, and complex international dynamics. You can't fire Congress. You can't deregulate democracy.

When I stopped to really think about what it takes to govern well, I realized the idea of “anyone can be president” is not inspirational—it’s naive. Sure, in theory, anyone can run. But that doesn't mean everyone should.

A qualified political leader isn’t just someone who can speak in slogans or “tell it like it is.” It’s someone who has:

• A clear understanding of the political landscape—personalities, factions, history

• A grasp of policy—how laws are made, how bureaucracies function

• Experience in negotiation and alliance-building

• And ideally, a sense of service rather than self-interest

The outsider fantasy is appealing because it promises change without effort—"burn it all down" and build something better. But in reality, the outsider either becomes part of the system they don’t understand or breaks it trying to rule without wisdom.

It’s not impossible for an outsider to do well. It’s just not reasonable to expect they will—especially if they lack curiosity, humility, or the patience to learn.

So no, I don’t want “just anyone” to be president. I want someone who knows what they’re doing—and has the scars to prove it.

I sure as HELL don't want some failed "businessman", convicted felon, malignant narcissist, authoritarian to be president.

If nothing else, the Trump era should have shattered the illusion that charisma, wealth, or outsider status are substitutes for competence, character, or understanding. Electing someone like Trump—someone with no interest in learning, no respect for institutions, and no grasp of governance—isn’t just a bad idea. It’s a warning sign of a democracy forgetting why experience, empathy, and accountability matter.

In closing,..

Trump assures dock workers, truck drivers, and others employed in port associated businesses that they’re losing money, and perhaps their jobs, for a good reason.

This man? Is an idiot.

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Compiled with aid of ChatGPT