Stars unprepared for Presidential role
Celebrities running for President not appreciated
January 23, 2018
In the wake of Donald Trump’s political success, a slew of celebrities have announced their bid to run for President. Some of these announcements may be jokes, but some seem to be shaping into slightly more serious claims. It’s time they get shut down, once and for all.
The problem is not in those who begin their political careers running for mayor or governor. After all, everyone has to start somewhere. The problem is people attempting to enter politics at the highest level. Among those who have announced an intent to run for President are rapper Kanye West and actor Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson.
This can cause major problems, due to the fact that they’re diving head-first into the deep end without knowing how to swim. In baseball, you don’t start out in the major league’s. You begin your career at a lower level and then work your way up. The same goes for just about any other sport or profession. There is a reason for this. The decisions that a president makes can affect the entire world. The President of the United States has to know what they’re doing, because if they don’t, there are serious international and domestic consequences. For example, increasing the national debt by billions or destroying diplomatic relations with another country. The President of the United States holds too much power to be inexperienced.
The reality is, people with no political experience who get elected into important government positions, such as president, tend to do a poor job. According to History, Ulysses S. Grant, who had no political experience prior to being elected President in 1869, caused economic turmoil, and his staff was wildly corrupt. According to Newsweek, Donald Trump, who held no political office prior to his becoming President currently has one of the worst approval ratings of modern presidents. According to Time Arnold Schwarzenegger, though not a president, did very poorly as the governor of California, leaving office with his approval rating sitting in the 20s. People without any political experience do not perform well in high-level political offices.
The ability to be the president is very different from the ability to be an actor or a singer. The stress and pressure that comes with the office is uniquely taxing. It is extremely difficult to understand the magnitude of the responsibilities and the weight of the office without ever having held one before. As the political world is is complex, it needs someone experienced in that mentality to lead it.
For these celebrities, politics likely isn’t their passion; they’ve just decided to run on a whim. For the most part, it’s celebrities who are unhappy with recent political events, and are looking for change. To clarify, I would encourage celebrity involvement in politics, but don’t start a political career trying to lead an entire country.
Another issue with celebrities becoming presidential candidates is that people are likely to vote for them because it’s their favorite singer or they played the part of someone who seemed like a good politician. Most people love celebrities, which can cloud judgement and cause people to elect unqualified candidates to lead our country.
For celebrities who are thinking of starting out their political career by running for president, don’t. Support a candidate you like, encourage political organizations that promote what you believe in, but keep your name off the ballot.
