A common sense cure for elections

Why shouldn’t candidates for office be required to take a “common sense” test?

Our society has developed tests for just about every imaginable purpose.  It seems that we are constantly required to prove ourselves worthy in a never-ending series of tests throughout our lives. 

For example, you must pass a test before you can practice as a doctor, dentist, architect, or lawyer.  You must pass a test to get a contractor’s license or a nursing license. Even before you are old enough to vote, you must pass a drug test to play sports, a driving test to drive a car, or competency test graduate from high school, or be admitted to college. Heck, before you can even enter pre-school you must pass the test of being potty trained.

For some jobs, you must submit to a test of your psychological profile, IQ, visual acuity, aptitude, compatibility, color blindness or physical condition.  Why is it then, that politicians get a pass to represent us without ever taking a test?  Why don’t they have to demonstrate minimal competence in something – anything at all?  Shouldn’t they have demonstrated life skills in a profession other than politics before asking for our vote?  Shouldn’t they be required to pass a leadership test in the real world before we give them the keys to the capital and our tax dollars?  Shouldn’t we ask them to tell us what they believe the legitimate roll of government is?  When do they believe the government has a duty to act and when does it have a responsibility to leave people alone?

Maybe the single most useful test for office seekers would be a simple common sense test.  It could consist of a single question:  “Are we better off spending more than we can pay, expecting someone else to bail us out, borrowing from future generations, and only pretending to balance the budget?

On November 2nd, you can answer that last one for yourself. 

Guy Caron can be reached via e-mail at: GuyC@GoffstownResidentsAssociation.com

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