Candidates who merit a second look

Are we voters missing the boat when choosing lawmakers?

It’s almost impossible for us to absorb everything we need to know about potential leaders, but we remain fixated on charisma, ambition and campaign skills. The first two may be good for giving TED Talks, but aren’t they better suited to campaigning than actual governing?

Adlai Stevenson II suffered two presidential landslide election defeats to popular Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956. While history suggests that America was in good hands with Eisenhower, maybe Stevenson deserved better. As United States Ambassador under President John Kennedy, Stevenson was a strong advocate for tackling world poverty and observed, “The whole notion of loyalty inquisitions is a natural characteristic of the police state, not of democracy.”

Such insight today would be refreshing, and rare. It's unfortunate that Republican Senators Robert Dole and John McCain couldn’t have made their presidential runs sooner. Few would question their qualifications for the White House, but both were past their prime when they finally ran.

It’s hard to imagine a younger Sen. McCain accepting former Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his VP running mate. Boxing trainer and TV analyst Gil Clancy once said that when a guy wins a title, he automatically becomes a 25% better fighter. Let’s apply this thinking to politicians who might possess more governing than campaigning chops.

President George H.W. Bush, never particularly known for his dynamic stumping skills, looked more at ease behind the podium once he replaced President Reagan. He also appeared less dependent on handlers than Reagan, and calmly managed the first Gulf War.

If Clancy’s 25% Boxing rule is true of leaders like Stevenson, Dole, McCain and other bygone campaign flameouts, maybe we should give them a closer look in 2028.

Jim Newton

Itasca

How to stop impasses

Here is an idea to prevent future political impasses, such as government shutdowns and budgetary impasses.

To reach a settlement a compromise is needed. Too much time is spent on brinkmanship, stubbornness and arrogance. All that is needed to prevent future dysfunction is a simple law to be passed.

If agreement cannot be reached to avoid a government shutdown, then all legislators involved are not eligible to run for their position in the next election. After, all they failed to do their job. I guarantee this will solve the problem.

Really they also should not be paid during these shutdowns just on principle. However, pay does not matter to most of these politicos.

J.A. Kupiec

Bloomingdale