It is time to grow up about how we pick our candidates. In this country political parties seem to choose their candidates on the criteria that they won't embarrass us and they can read and write and that they have complied with the Party's check box criteria.
Nothing more is required as no one wants to offend many people by saying "you are not good enough." There are appeals and hassle. Easier to stick to them through. Easier but wrong!
What about being able to inspire, think on your feet, keep people interested, handle pressure and being able to break down complex information.
It's the important criteria that never seems to be applied.
In the US however a much wider
audience selects the candidate.
In the UK, understanding the rules,
knowing who the key influencers in a constituency party are and the ability to
count votes. These are the skills necessary to win a nomination for a safe
seat. Nothing that actually makes you a good politician.
In the US the primaries sorts the good from the bad much more quickly and involves more people. I have a problem with the quantity of money expended in the US but the principle of testing your candidates in the real world rather than just by choice of the faithful is a correct one.
Start running!
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