Should only people with an above average Intellect be let into Politics

sfwcork

I think half the problem with politics is that most are just yes men who dont have the intellect to come up with Idea's to change things for the better. Most get into where they are from good networkingIf smarter peop,e were in better positions we could make positive change

AEDIC

They are voted into politics... not let in. And there lies the problem.

danniemcq

the parties would be awful empty,

especially seeing people of above average intelligence are to smart to get into politics.

kirving

Too smart?

A simple reasoning test on each voting slip? Any wrong ones would be binned.

Ush1

No because that's not democracy.

I personally think democracy is flawed and voting could be weighted in various ways.

UCDVet

I'd rather have an honest, moral politician and an intelligent, corrupt politician.

Most of the biggest crooks are intelligent. That doesn't stop them from abusing their power for their own personal gain.

bgrizzley

I'd settle for average at this stage

Rigol

Who sets the test?

So they're not good at spacial awareness or pattern spotting or some other category. That means they're excluded. Ghandi, ML king could have been crap at those things, pol pot or saddam might have been great at them.

Celly Smunt

we need a colonel.

RGDATA!

sfwcork wrote: »

I think half the problem with politics is that most are just yes men who dont have the intellect to come up with Idea's to change things for the better. Most get into where they are from good networkingIf smarter peop,e were in better positions we could make positive change

who would be the judge of what an "above average" intellect is?

anyway, if the people want smarter politicians they need to vote for them.

bullpost

The other half of the problem is an electorate who keep voting the gombeens in - what do we do about those?

sfwcork wrote: »

I think half the problem with politics is that most are just yes men who dont have the intellect to come up with Idea's to change things for the better. Most get into where they are from good networkingIf smarter peop,e were in better positions we could make positive change

Ush1

bullpost wrote: »

The other half of the problem is an electorate who keep voting the gombeens in - what do we do about those?

That's the real problem. The electorate are pandered to and are too stupid or ignorant to the people and policies they are voting in.

They get their road, or traffic lights or whatever and yep, here's my vote, don't even care about your policies...

Amalgam

Saw this used as someone's signature a while back.

“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

— Plato

We've been governed by at least one narcissist and quite a few piss heads for the last 30 years. I don't get why you have to pass a series of tests\screenings for being a child carer, but none for being a politician. It is a career that does seem to attract a lot of gobdaws and gob****es. People that wouldn't have a chance at a comparable wage, elsewhere.

TheDoc

I would ideally like to see some sort of criteria required before a politican is allowed to stand before a vote.

And mostly to do with their actual experience and relevance.

When you have someone like Stephen Donnelly who offered his services to consult with the delegates attending IMF negotiations (after himself dealing with the IMF on NUMEROUS ocassions through his private sector work) being declined by a group whose experience amount to school teacher, level 7 economics degree and other irrelevant inadequate qualifications, it is no suprise at the state we are in.

There has been no consistent trend of experienced qualified politicans leading the helm for decades. And my generation are noticing. Should a party form tomorrow where its members have genuine experience, qualifications and provide actionable plans not promises, they would win a landslide election.

It was one of the main reasons I just let out an epic sigh when the Presidential campaign came to a close. The country was presented with two choices.

A man who is beyond his twilight years, looking for a nice little retirement package.
Or a man in his prime, lengthy experience in ACTUAL business, generating employment and making profits, who from the get go outlined how we wanted to be active in recovery, rather then cut ribbons and open schools.

And the country gives an old fella a nice pension.

How anyone can ponder why we are in bits, is beyond me.

We are in a state of financial and economic crisis, and those leading us have ZERO experience in economics or finance..go figure

sfwcork

A series of test or an interview.Like fo example if you want to get into Mensa you have to prove your smarter than 98% of the population.Obviously not use the same % but also prove your intelligent enough for the job

conorhal

Yes.

But it wouldn't be very representative now would it?

mike65

half the Doyle is made up of the "professions" and teachers look where that has got us!

The problem is the voters not the candidates.

BensonSlide

I'd imagine most of our TDs are of average intelligence or above. It's easy to paint them as greedy sleeveens who are as thick as two short planks. Allows people to avoid having to take personal or collective responsibility, and instead blame everything on Government/politicans/bankers/Germans/Jews/Freemasons/IMF.

kincsem

Intelligence; Drive; Honesty.

You need all three. Two out of three = trouble.

Forest Demon

Honestly, empathy and ethics are as important as intelligence for elected representatives. Most of our issues caused by Politicians have had little to do with intelligence and more to do with power hungry, self serving motives and an electorate who supported the same. When it comes to Ahern and Haughey I don't think intelligence is the issue. Hitler was supposed to be extremely intelligent. Intelligence can be also a means to further a selfish agenda.

sfwcork

Bensonslide how do you know these people are above aveage Intellect? You dont. You just assume as they have been voted in that they are

Nobody here has mentioned blame. To get us or any country out of financial difficulty you have to do something different.

How do we know that they have the idea's? Just been voted in is clearly no longer enough

Cee-Jay-Cee

I don't think the problem is intellect or lack if it but that politicians have very little grasp on reality, they have no idea what it's like to be struggling to make ends meet or to be in situations where there is more money going out than coming in. Politicians should be made to work for an industrial wage with no allowances for one year so they would have an idea how their policies impact on ordinary people. They should also be contracted in their jobs like every other job and where they fail miserably their contract terminated.