Trump

The other thing in the news was Trump signing the loyalty pledge.  http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/trump-will-sign-gop-loyalty-pledge-213302

I had to chuckle because the eGOP was using this as a tool to keep Trump from getting the nomination.  He had previously said he wouldn't sign one so they started changing the rules in order to cut him out.  So, in typical Trump style he just made that strategy blow up in their faces.  oops

Wait a minute........I don't think you can use the words Trump and Loyalty in the same post.  I'm pretty sure that makes the Earth spin backwards.

I know this can't be possible, but thought I'd share anyways.

Poll: Trump beats Hillary head-to-head

This is a serious world and it requires serious thinkers. 

I can't believe people are even talking about Trump.

Well, he has serious hair....so there's that.

Serious thinkers like Obama and Clinton? <snickers>

I've become pretty liberal on personal liberty issues, and happy to be there......still very hardline right when it comes to National policies......but it's really hard to argue with that.  Trump and Palin at the forefront of the GOP??  That's a non-starter.....and completely ridiculous.

lol, had to play the Palin card.  I'm just glad that you don't disagree about Obama.  ;-)

I'm a huge fan of higher education, so I'm not sure where you got that from (two kids in college right now).  I'm not a huge fan of "academics" who have no real world experience that try to create policy/laws that are not based in reality.  Obama's academically very smart, but real world experience he's an absolute idiot.  Hillary falls into the same camp.

As for whom I feel is best qualified to run for public office is anyone who has real world experience managing a business and making a payroll.  The less "academic experience" the better and the less political experience the better.  In the beginning I was a Palin fan because of her complete lack of political experience.  She was an outsider and seemed to have the moxy to stand up to the system.  It didn't take long for her to get sucked into the Tea Party machine, so my affection waned as she became more and more a part of the "political system". 

Obviously being "intelligent" is important to be President, but I want people that are intelligent in the right areas.  Hope that makes sense.

I think we should all leave BT in a huff!!!

So, growing up poor, with a broken family, struggling to put yourself through college and then EXCELLING while you're there.  CHOOSING to forgo private sector work for the Public sector.  Spending almost your entire adult life under the magnifying glass of public scrutiny.  Raising a family and seeing to their needs as a parent and a spouse.  Running for public office at local, state, and national levels.  Sitting US Senator, two term President of the United States (Obama).  FLOTUS, US Senator, Secretary of State (Clinton).  Yeah, your right.  No REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE at all.    

I hated baby Bush.  Worse president ever.  EVER!!  But I never questioned his 'experience'.  Very few people had more experience at being a Governor or a President.  But being an oil man (with the family's money) didn't give him much insight into the Global economy, did it?

America is NOT a business.  And the drumbeat insistence that it be run like one is the major reason why you are so disappointed when we elect a president.  Romney's "47%" comment resonated so well because the vast majority of voters really don't want to live in the Incorporated States of America.  

If you feel you're so imminently qualified to run a country because you run a small business-then put your name on a ballot.   Republican or Democrat or Independent-Those you choose to run for PUBLIC office; To represent their constituency as a noble statesman, and not a TV Freak show, then I tip my hat to them all. 

And, BTW, the Affordable Care Act is working!

Bro - relax.....Obama was a politician in Chicago.....that's NOT public service.   LMAO

I got my knickers in a wad. 

Thanks for the 'shade'. 

I wouldn't say I'm a "staunch supporter" of Cruz.  What I've said is that I hope and pray that a viable third party candidate who was fiscally conservative would rise up and shake up the machine.  Unfortunately that's never been a viable path, so I looked for the most "outsider" I could find in the GOP and the DNC and Rand Paul and Ted Cruz were the closest I could find.  So, I supported them both for the simple fact that they were the best the GOP had to offer from a standing up to the system standpoint.
The DNC unfortunately has absolutely nobody that's come to the forefront that's even slightly moderate on anything.

You asked the question about my candidate qualifications and I answered.  Cruz certainly has risks of being an insider in sheep's clothing, but up to this point his actions have shown otherwise.

Why are you so angry?  

I think the bolded above is the single biggest flaw in your argument.  You are correct that America isn't a business, but the fact that every politician (from both sides) doesn't run it like one is the single biggest problem we face in America.  It's like you running your household by spending $500k per year when you only make $100k per year.  Your household isn't a business either, but you dam sure better run it like one or you're going to be in a world of financial hurt one day.

America is in a world of hurt financially and the longer we pretend that it's not and continue to run it "like it's not a business" the worse the crash is going to be.  If we as a nation were debt free you and I would have no problems with social programs like the ACA, but my biggest gripe is that we simply can't afford it because we spent all our money on other stupid stuff that doesn't matter.

As for Obama's qualifications I don't think you get to count his Senate or two terms as President as qualifications to become president because he started his campaign as soon as he went to the senate and him being President was after he was elected.
He has a great story, but as we've all seen in the real world his story hasn't translated into him being a great President.  Quinnipiac did a poll last year and from a public opinion standpoint Obama is the worst president in History.  Obviously that's a subjective poll, but the public as a whole does not approve of his leadership or what he's done in office.  You may not agree with that or like that, but it's true.

I also forgot to add that my appeal towards Trump is that he more closely fits my ideal of a candidate qualification wise and there's no question that he is sticking it to the system which I love more than anything.  He wasn't in the picture back when Rand and Ted were making waves.

I know everyone keeps bashing on him for being direct, crazy, un-presidential, or whatever but that's what appeals to me and I think that's what's appealing to the rest of the country.  I Just saw a poll over the weekend that he had over 25% support from the Democrat African American community which is absolutely unheard of.  Sure, there are things I don't like about him, but if there's ever been a candidate who had the moxie to fix the fiscal mess in Washington it's Trump and that's my number one issue by a mile.

I like Carson more than I like Trump, but he'd never be a #2, so I have to go for Trump/Carson.