Do you agree that in order to become president you must serve in the U.S military?

[33percent]

Just seems in my 2 cents that all the U.S presidents come from top schools, wealthy and connected families who have more oppourunity than the average American. Then return the favour by screwing over America by giving handouts to their connections.

Majority of presidents are nothing but educated idiots or well connected idiots. These days so in order to become president just go to Harvard, and you get a first class ticket to becoming president?

I believe in order to become president someone has to serve in the military first. It can be any general job in the military but as long they serve. This proves many factors showing their loyalty to their country, and willing to fight for it.

Honestly a president becoming "Commander in Cheif" with no military background is a insult to the ones who have served. It's like someone who replaces bill gates as CEO of microsoft having no computer, and business experience to run the company.

[southfork]

And be a real American, not a Kenyan Gigalo

[Strawboss]

While I have as much respect for current and former members of the military as the next guy, serving in the military is by no means a reliable litmus test that would validate someone's "worthiness". You could make the opposite argument that one that didnt serve in the military was at least smart enough to not be a pawn doing the bidding of the oligarch's and defending "the empire".

[bluesky99]

Seems to be that to be the president you must (unfortunately) serve the banking elite:

Back to 1815, this is the year Nathan Mayer Rothschild makes his famous statement,
"I care not what puppet is placed upon the throne of England to rule the Empire on which the sun never sets. The man who controls Britain's money supply controls the British Empire, and I control the British money supply."

[hoarder]

Seems to be that to president the you must (unfortunately) serve the banking elite

Bingo, this sums it up.
International bankers finance both sides of every conflict.
Did you notice that whenever a new President takes office, the Federal Reserve goon of the previous administration is never replaced? Presidents know who their supervisors are.

[Joseph]

And be a real American, not a Kenyan Gigalo

Like George W. Bush ?

[Eyebone]

Come on, we don't need or want an army just a militia, every man a soldier;.

[Nickelless]

Why shouldn't we demand that presidents have military service? There are already a lot of foreign-born, non-U.S. citizens in our military!

[Gray]

I think the criteria to be eligible to be president should be:
- At least 74 years old
- Was a 220 yard dash champion
- To have a BSc in Biology, preferably a doctorate in Medicine
- Worked in the military, preferably in the airforce
- Calls gold by its real name: money
- Has made a chairman of the Fed sweat at least 10 pints

[KnowNothing]

Paul Much?

[Hope+Change]

Come on, we don't need or want an army just a militia, every man a soldier.

Tell that to your average Walmart customer, or even better, your local law enforcement officer.

Having mandatory(or voluntary, paid for by the State) light military training for everyone wouldn't be an awful idea.

[budfox]

It doesn't matter. Presidents are chosen long before the 'election'

[Argentsum]

Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" goes into detail on this political idealogy.

The book, not the bubblegum movie(s) which were a disgrace.

The premise was that you could not vote or hold political office unless you had served a
two year term of service in the armed forces or civil service labor battalions.

The idea being that only people who could demonstrate that they would put the interests of
society above their own by laying it on the line (for the state) could be entrusted with the
rights of full citizenship.

The two year civil servitude (it wasn't pleasant, nor was it meant to be) was entirely voluntary.

Definitely a Sparta philosophy and there are some attractive benefits to society under such an
arrangement.

If something like this were implemented, we could rebuild our nation's infrastructure on the cheap
using the equivalent of mass slave labor, er - assuming the nation's youth is actually interested
in wielding political power.

I'm not advocating such a system. It seems every time a nation has gone down this road it never ended very well.
Its a small step from voluntary 2 year servitude to compulsary terms of service and somewhere at the bottom of
the slippery slope is the sound of goose stepping marchers.

Besides, it's premise is contrary to our country's ideal of "free" democracy.

On the other hand you get what you paid for.

Okay, yeah, I'm ambivalent about the whole idea.

[Carl]

~ Besides, it's premise is contrary to our country's ideal of "free" democracy.

On the other hand you get what you paid for.

Okay, yeah, I'm ambivalent about the whole idea.

Democracy is never free because everyone is the government in a democracy.


The U.S. was founded as a Republic.


Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers"

Loved the book, hated the movie.

[Goldhedge]

I think military service will mature them like no other experience.


Think about it...the military is a dictatorship. Top down leadership.


Once you experience it, you are more aware of the difference between freedom and tyranny...

[honu5050]

general IKE warrned the usa. JFK tryed to fight them. both formore military . you can bet their were poop stains under the finantial elite for a few weeks in oct. you want them changed y'all going ta have to play extreamly dirty and silent . they can be removed if done right. cheers.

[Ebie]

Democracy is never free because everyone is the government in a democracy.


The U.S. was founded as a Republic.

Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers"

Loved the book, hated the movie.

Good post.
I will expand, in Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" only vets could vote or be citizens.

[Al K. Hall]

I do not support a requirement that a president have been a racketeer for the Military-Industrial Complex prior to office.

Originally, every president did serve in America's constitutional military service; all male citizens did. It was called, and still is called, the militia. The current "National Military Establishment" monstrosity is unconstitutional, and 90% of what is purported to be "defense" is nothing of the sort.

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism."

The late Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC Retired

[Al K. Hall]

The premise was that you could not vote or hold political office unless you had served a
two year term of service in the armed forces or civil service labor battalions.

The idea being that only people who could demonstrate that they would put the interests of
society above their own by laying it on the line (for the state) could be entrusted with the
rights of full citizenship.

The model was a fascist state. Fascist Italy or Nazi Germany. Not exactly what I'd call very "American." I shall pass, thank you.

I also disagree with the maxim "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

I have an obligation, imposed in wisdom by the Almighty, to serve my fellow man. However, the "country" is not synonymous with my fellow man (my "neighbor"). "Country" has been, for well over a century, synonymous with the state, i.e., the US Government.

The two year civil servitude (it wasn't pleasant, nor was it meant to be) was entirely voluntary.

"Voluntary" in the same manner as Harry Reid claims paying US Federal Income Taxes is "voluntary."

Men are born with rights; they do not earn them by serving the state. Any "mandatory service" protocol is anathema to the founding principles of this country, as stated in the founding document, the Declaration of Independence.

If something like this were implemented, we could rebuild our nation's infrastructure on the cheap
using the equivalent of mass slave labor, er - assuming the nation's youth is actually interested
in wielding political power.

We could also rebuild our nation's infrastructure "on the cheap" by forcibly dislodging the entitlement parasites called "shareholders" (and their punk "executives") from the equation.

[Alric]

Seeing as how they are the commander in chief of the military, having a military background would be a good thing. However, if you only took higher officers in the military that would limit the pool of potential presidents way to much. And some low ranking person who was in the army for 4 years is hardly going to have any experience equal to running the entire military. So why bother?

[ttazzman]

having to serve in the military would sure limit the female canidates.........so im all for it if it keeps Hilary out.....but i do think she coulda done better than BB boys..(Bama & Biden)