Should Political Parties Have a Litmus Test for Candidates?
@DeborahDiane (40850)
Laguna Woods, California
April 19, 2016 9:15pm CST
This is NOT about the pros and cons of the different candidates. This is about how the political parties seem to let anyone who has the money and backing to run as a candidate in whichever party they want, and the party cannot prevent it.
It actually surprised me to realize that someone who has traditionally expressed liberal political ideas, like Trump, could simply announce that he is running as a Republican and the party has to accept him.
At the same time, someone who has spent most of his life as an Independent, and calls himself a Socialist, could simply announce that he is running as a Democrat and the party has to accept him.
Shouldn't there be a "litmus test" or rules that say, before running for President on either a Democratic or Republican ticket, the candidate needs to have at least won one political office and served as a politician for that party ... even if it was as a state legislator or local judge?
Should anyone be able to just say I want to run for President on the Republican or Democratic ticket, and they have to accept that person and help pay for their election ... even if that person does not represent their traditional values?
It just seems like a weird system to me.
What do you think about the system? 
11 people like this
10 responses
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Apr 16
That's a good point. I didn't think of it in that way. If the members of the party don't like someone who runs, they have the right to ignore him.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174696)
• United States
25 Apr 16
Well, no, you can't. You have to choose among the people who are wealthy enough to fund their own campaigns.
If we could choose who we want, I have a feeling Garfield would become our permanent President!
He couldn't choose to increase or decrease taxes for anyone, whether that "person" is a business or a live person. He couldn't choose to exonerate certain parties of wrongdoing on a whim. He couldn't lie to his constituents simply to get their vote and then betray their trust after he wins the office of his choice...
We are not nearly as free as people here like to think!
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174696)
• United States
25 Apr 16
@DeborahDiane But would ignoring that person damage that candidates chances of gaining the office they seek? Probably not!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Apr 16
Yes, it is different in other countries, which makes it hard to understand US politics. It is even hard for us to understand!
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
20 Apr 16
personally i'd like to see 'em dismantle both parties. i aint fond'f 'career politicians' neither. the system's hosed, has been fer years.
3 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Apr 16
I tend to agree with you. I have been a non-partisan voter for decades. My husband left the Republican party about a year ago and switched to being non-partisan, too. Neither party actually represents our beliefs.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
30 Apr 16
It is illogical, but so is the whole country. Makes no sense to me at all. Bozo the clown could run, oh, wait. He is.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 May 16
Yep he is running and worse, will carry the GOP flag (to defeat).
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
5 May 16
Ha Ha! Not only is Bozo the clown running ... but he has a chance of being our next president. Horrifying, but true! I saw a statement on Facebook that said "Even if Trump isn't elected, remember that all those people who voted for him still live in America." That's pretty scary, isn't it?
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
5 May 16
@DeborahDiane Yes, and very sad. I read this morning that the conservative branch of the GOP is thinking about running a third party candidate. Just hope this is true!
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Apr 16
Yes, it is hard to understand politics in other countries. It is even hard for me to understand why it works the way it does in our country!
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Apr 16
Every citizen has the right to run for president even the most ridiculous and there are plenty running you never heard of. But this is part of why the US is great. You or I can throw our hat in the ring. Of course it's hopeless but we have the right to do so. There is a system than begins with a petition to meet the qualification of a certain number of required signatures then registering your candidacy.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Apr 16
Ahh! You have just given me some useful information. If I understand what you said, they have to get a required number of signatures before one of the political parties has to accept them as a candidate? So, if Trump had gotten enough signatures he could have run as a Democrat, instead. It is just a matter of getting signatures and then the parties are forced to accept candidates, even if they don't represent that party's belief's? Interesting!
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Apr 16
@DeborahDiane You should look up the facts. I may not be accurate as to the process. You don't have to be a Dem or Rep to run for President. There are other parties like Green and Libertarian. In fact you can be an independent with no party affiliation. You just need to meet the requirements to get on the ballot and each state may have different requirements.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
22 Apr 16
@JohnRoberts - You are absolutely right that you can belong to any party, or start your own, if you want to run for President. That is why I question the fact that some people decide to run for President as a member of a party, when they were not active in that party in the past. What really surprises me is that the political parties do not seem to be able to stop "interlopers" from doing that.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
20 Apr 16
Not much but then any system that can totally disregard the popular vote and decided that the powers that be will chose the candidate is intrinsically flawed!!
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Apr 16
Yes, I think our system is intrinsically flawed on a number of levels. Even the electoral college system is flawed ... and that only comes into play AFTER they have gotten through our crazy two-party system.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174696)
• United States
25 Apr 16
I've never considered that before. I always thought the parties selected the person they most wanted to put into office.
I believe there should be several comprehensive tests a candidate should pass before being able to run as a candidate for any public office. The first would be an intelligence test. The second would be a test for understanding the English language. The third would be an integrity test that is not taken by the potential candidate, but scored by selected and trustworthy individuals who spend six months reviewing the life of that person. If the person fails to pass any of these tests, they aren't eligible for public office.
The more stupidity I observe in political campaigns, the more tests I believe should be created. A candidate starts throwing mud at another candidate? You flunked that test! Go to the end of the line. Better luck in your next life!
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
26 Apr 16
I agree with you completely. There should be some basic tests and standards they have to pass before we even consider them for public office. Things have just gotten out of control as far as politicians are concerned. Ridiculous!
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 May 16
Oh, you chose a nice pic or our next President here.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
6 May 16
That is actually her official Secretary of State picture. Government pictures are considered in the public domain, so anyone can use them!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40850)
• Laguna Woods, California
6 May 16
Also, I hope she is our next president. The alternative is too scary to contemplate!
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 May 16
It does seem odd, yes. Trump has wavered back and forth too in his life, not "conservative" enough to suit the bastions of the Grand Old Party, but there he is.
1 person likes this
