My husband and I were discussing the gloomy possibility of another Bush vs. Clinton campaign, the outcome of which would mean the presidency was held by a member of those two families from 1988-2020, with an 8 year intermission by Obama. This is undemocratic, in opposition to everything intended in Article II of the Constitution, and unhealthy. We might as well have a constitutional monarchy.
So then we were trying to figure out how else to choose a president. We thought of single combat, a Hunger Games arena, drawing lots, and other such things. Then I suggested a test. It was a joke, but the more I thought about it the better of an idea it seemed. (It would of course be extremely difficult to find the judges.) So I came up with a test that I would like my president to have been awesome on.
It measures the following things: critical thinking and analysis, knowledge of basic economics and political theory, creative thinking, ability to deal with hostile people, perception/observation, and persuasiveness.
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Analyze the Supreme Court’s decision in Windsor through the lens of 1) at least 5 different Federalist Papers; and 2) the writings of John Locke. Cite to primary sources only. Explain your reasoning clearly.
Prepare a monthly budget and an annual federal tax return for the following families. Each family has a combined income of 10% less than the county’s median household income. None of the families has a mortgage interest deduction.
A) A married lesbian couple in Contra Costa County, California with three teenaged children. One spouse commutes to San Francisco daily.
B) A widowed woman supporting children aged 2,4, and 7, and her 52 year old disabled mother in Lake County, Indiana.
C) A “traditional” family of 4 with 2 school-aged children in Randolph County, Georgia.
D) A young married couple with an infant in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. One spouse has a student loan debt of $402.78 per month and is a small business owner.
Spend 1 week working the customer service line for a major cable provider. Don’t get fired.
Write a love sonnet to a person you are courting.
Take the train from Washington D.C. to New York City and identify as many infrastructure and economic problems as you can. Write a speech that sells to Congress your ideas about how to fix these problems. Think broadly, but be detailed.
