With the 2016 Republican Party primary elections fast approaching, the Republican field consists of 15 candidates. Soon, candidates will begin to drop out as they see their hopes for victory slimming. Three candidates I believe will not drop out any time soon are Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson.
Trump, the famed entrepreneur, TV personality and billionaire, has been leading in the polls. He uses fiery rhetoric to rile up angry American voters. Anger will only take Trump so far, though. Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and defeated California senate candidate in 2010, is seen as one of the winners of the second GOP Presidential Debate, and she’s gaining popularity. Carson, the acclaimed neurosurgeon, author and Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, has so far forged a successful campaign.
While all of these candidates are extremely successful in their respective fields, none of these candidates have actual experience working with the government. The lack of exposure to the inner workings of government is not appropriate for the most important job in the free world.
This isn’t a job where there is time to learn the ropes. No matter what claims they make, they surely do not know or understand how difficult achieving results really is. When working with Congress, it’s essential for our next president to understand the nuances and complexities of the government. With hundreds of federal agencies, it becomes key for a president to manage these organizations correctly.
These experiences in government cannot be stressed enough. It is imperative that the president walk into the Oval Office on day one and be an effective leader. We do not need a leader who doesn’t know what it takes to lead the country forward. Any lack of understanding could lead to fatal errors and turmoil within our country.
When the other candidates are examined, they all have government experience on the federal or state level or, better yet, both. For example, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also has state-level experience from his time as solicitor general of Texas. Jeb Bush was governor of Florida, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, also served as the speaker of the house in Florida’s House of Representatives.
A recent study claims 87 percent of Americans believe an understanding of public policy experience is necessary, according to eurekalert.org. It’s clear a candidate with no government or policy experience is not what’s prescribed at this time.
Our country needs a proven leader — a leader that can navigate us through the precarious position we are in domestically and through our faltering position on the world stage. The state of the economy is even more messed up. We need a leader who understands key concepts integral to the job they’re striving for — the most important job in the world.
Now, more than ever, the GOP needs a strong leader, who can hit the ground running and lead the country forward effectively. With their lack of experience, Trump, Carson and Fiorina cannot do that.
The American electorate should take note. A leader with experience, guile and strength needs to lead, and these candidates simply cannot.
staranyi@indiana.edu
