College of Blue Jays

Almost 300 million people in the U.S., and the best we can offer as President are the relatively inexperienced Barack Obama, the computer-ignorant John McCain, the unknown but strongly liked Libertarian candidate, and the well known but strongly disliked Ralph Nader? Jeez! Why do we saddle candidates with such burdens so comsumptive of time, money, and energy as they spend at least two years running for this office, and saddle the public with their endless speeches and preoccupation with their personality quirks? Then the whole nonsense is repeated two years later.

Let's change the system of presidential election. Let's copy the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church, who elect the Pope. A couple of weeks before the current President's term expires, place our 100 U.S. senators under lock and key; after all, they are our elected officials; their favorite lobbyists could pay for their food, etc. Tell them that only the following are eligible for President: only those who have served at least four years as a Vice President, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, U.S. Supreme Court justice, secretary (head) of a U.S. Cabinet, or governor of a state. In the first round of secret voting, each senator would vote for the one person of his or her choice. Then the top, say, ten choices of the Senate would be named, and become eligible for the secret second round---successively until one candidate acquired 75% of the total votes. The newly elected President would serve for six years without eligibility to succeed him- or herself. If some senators during this sequestered election process fell ill, or became temporarily insane, or wheeled and dealed and bribed, or murdered a colleague, etc.---in ways which sometimes happened in papal elections---then so be it. After all, the Presidency is at stake; and the public wouldn't be bothered every two years. I made a D in high-school civics.

-Old Doc