The US Constitution qualifies me to be President of the United States:
- natural-born citizen of the United States
- at least thirty-five years old
- resident in the United States for at least fourteen years.
Like I said in my first post on this subject, I meet all three requirements. Easily.
“That’s fine, Mark, but it qualifies millions of others as well. What other qualifications do you have?”
Picky, picky, picky. 🙄
OK, then, since you asked, I’ll have to toot my horn state a few relevant facts.
Leadership experience
- husband and father and grandfather
- missionary field director (ex)
- church pastor (ex)
- high school teacher (ex)
- school principal (ex)
- lead man on assembly line (ex)
- Christmas tree crew foreman (ex)
- textbook editing and review committee chairman (ex)
- mission board chairman
- school board secretary
- Anabaptist Bookstore founder and owner-operator
“Ho hum!” you say?
“Too many ex’s there,” you say? Well, how much of the above can one man do at the same time, huh?
Like I said, picky, picky, picky!
But for your sake, I’ll add another category.
Character and Temperament
- patient and pleasant
- principled and values-driven; not into deal-making that compromises my principles
- good listener and open to advice
- not swayed from solid convictions
- not a buck passer (but I know how to delegate)
- clean spoken and even tempered
- tested in deep waters
- honest and truthful
- my word is good
- considerate and frank
- kind, generous, and compassionate
- loyal and dependable
- not divorced
- frugal and thrifty
- calm and steady, even under fire
- not a partier (“It’s fun to have fun, but you have to know how.” — Dr. Zeus)
- not above apologizing the real way
- visionary, yet realistic
- deep distaste for gossip, innuendo, railing, mockery, flattery and their ilk
Wow! I sound like a pretty good guy! 😳 (I better stop bragging, huh?)
Other experience
- native-fluent in Spanish (which I learned as a child in Mexico)
- grew up in Mexico as an MK — from infancy to mid-teens
- served five years in Mexico as an adult missionary
- military service (of the spiritual sort)
- reader, writer, and public speaker (My own speeches are my own, not a speechwriter’s.)
- blogger and webmaster
- a formidable chess player (in my youth, anyway)
My, my, my — tooting my own horn is a very distasteful enterprise. If that’s what it takes to be a successful politician, count me out!
Well, this is a long enough post. I suppose there are other things that might qualify me to be President.
And I’m sure there are some things that would disqualify me. But those, as well as the skeletons in my closet, will have to wait for another post.
Meanwhile, consider this question: If you used the items in the second category above as a checklist, how would each candidate for President score?
Then this one: How would you score?
And I consider this one: How would my wife and children score me?
And how about God?
Actually…in spite of telling you that you might be a write in on my November ballot…after reading your lists in this post… I see little to qualify you for the Oval Office, Mark…. for starters you have way too much common sense and integrity…. we cant have that in a President. Nor did I see any reference that would indicate a pandering toward globalism…another strike against you. And your obvious lack of infatuation with Islam and Muslims in general shows a complete disregard for minorities and people of IMPORTANT faith…..of course your fluency in Spanish will get you kudos in certian circles….I am afraid you have much to work on my friend. 😉
Hey. Gimme time, will ya?