Why aren't Presidents Required to Serve in the Military to be President?

[Rigby5]

Yeah. I've long thought that there should be two new Amendments to the Constitution, with one of them being that any candidate for presidency should have served at least one honorable tour in the military, "regardless of the rank achieved." This so that the person seeking to be president, at least has some working experience as to what being a part of the military and how it works is known.
The second new Amendment to the Constitution, should be a damn age limit by the time of taking the office. No more geriatrics. The guy in office now, tells the press that "they" will get angry with him if he answers more questions. He's the president. "HE" tells them what to do, not the other way around.

I think it should be the other way around, that no one who served in the military should be eligible at all for president.
Why?
Because the military is inherently a dictatorship that ignores individual rights and strictly follows the edicts of a hierarchy.
That may be necessary for the military, but is totally and completely contradictory to a democratic republic, and also is extremely susceptible to corruption.
It is much like a monarchy, the very thing all citizens of a democratic republic should fear and hate.

 

[whitehall]

Every monarch in the world going back hundreds of years wears a military uniform including our Brit. allies. The U.S. prides itself in civilian (elected) control over the U.S. Military and that's the way it should be.

 

[Couchpotato]

Except that was not a good thing.
It just means we had way too many wars and drafts.
Actually all the wars since the War of 1812 was not defensive and were illegal really.
Connections between presidents and military service are bad, not good.
The military is and has to be a dictatorship.

LOL what?

1. The draft has only been instituted a few times and I dont think any of the guys who were President were drafted.

2. Where are you getting that they were illegal? There's nothing in the Constitution that requires that he US only fight defensive wars. Though it predates the Constitution the war that gave us our country wasnt defensive.

3. Some of our greatest Presidents have served in the military. Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, Teddy Rosevelt, JFK, Reagan. While some of our worst didnt. Van Buren, Wilson, Hoover, Cleveland. Trump, and Biden?

 

[Couchpotato]

I think it should be the other way around, that no one who served in the military should be eligible at all for president.
Why?
Because the military is inherently a dictatorship that ignores individual rights and strictly follows the edicts of a hierarchy.
That may be necessary for the military, but is totally and completely contradictory to a democratic republic, and also is extremely susceptible to corruption.
It is much like a monarchy, the very thing all citizens of a democratic republic should fear and hate.

You have clearly never served and have no earthly idea what it means to do so.

 

[jc456]

LOL what?

1. The draft has only been instituted a few times and I dont think any of the guys who were President were drafted.

2. Where are you getting that they were illegal? There's nothing in the Constitution that requires that he US only fight defensive wars. Though it predates the Constitution the war that gave us our country wasnt defensive.

3. Some of our greatest Presidents have served in the military. Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, Teddy Rosevelt, JFK, Reagan. While some of our worst didnt. Van Buren, Wilson, Hoover, Cleveland. Trump, and Biden?

Did slic Willie?

 

[Cecilie1200]

In my opinion it should be illegal. Don't get why it isn't. Granted, all these life time loser politicians would probably find a way around it anyway.

Possibly because the vast majority of American citizens don't serve in the military. Maybe because such a requirement would undermine the entire concept of civilian control of the military? Or perhaps because members of the military often don't make very good political leaders, since the two areas of endeavor are actually quite different.

 

[rightwinger]

In my opinion it should be illegal. Don't get why it isn't. Granted, all these life time loser politicians would probably find a way around it anyway.

Military men don’t necessarily make good Presidents

 

[Cecilie1200]

31 of our 43 Presidents had military service so you’re reasoning doesn’t hold water

There's a big difference between "candidates CAN be military members" and "candidates MUST be military members".

 

[Couchpotato]

There's a big difference between "candidates CAN be military members" and "candidates MUST be military members".

did you actually read the post I was responding to? That's what I thought.

 

[Dragonlady]

31 of our 43 Presidents had military service so you’re reasoning doesn’t hold water

You had the draft from WWII until 1980. All men over the 18 were required to serve. Anyone who came of age during that time from has served unless they were 4F, like Trump. That covered all of your Presidents from Ike to Clinton. Clinton had a college exemption.

Prior to WWII, the USA didn't have much of a military. It's only since the US military has become an all voluntary force, there has a sad and dangerous slide into obsessively worshipping those who serve.

 

[fncceo]

You had the draft from WWII until 1980. All men over the 18 were required to serve.

Actually, the post-World War II draft ended in 1973. All men over the age of 18 were required to register for the draft, most by far never served.

 

[Leweman]

Military men don’t necessarily make good Presidents

There are very few good Presidents regardless.

 

[Couchpotato]

You had the draft from WWII until 1980. All men over the 18 were required to serve. Anyone who came of age during that time from has served unless they were 4F, like Trump. That covered all of your Presidents from Ike to Clinton. Clinton had a college exemption.

Prior to WWII, the USA didn't have much of a military. It's only since the US military has become an all voluntary force, there has a sad and dangerous slide into obsessively worshipping those who serve.

WTF? No they didn’t. Where did you get that idea?

They were required to register with selective service not actually serve in the military you dope.

The US military has been all volunteer since 73.

The draft was first instituted during the civil war and again during WW1. We had 4.7 million men and women who served during WW1.

 

[Clipper]

Write an amendment to the constitution then! Hahaha

Maybe they can add an addendum declaring that anyone with bonespurs can serve in some capacity. No more notes from Daddy's Dr. who rents office space from the old man claiming little Johnny footsie is a hurtin' the poor thing.

 

[Couchpotato]

Maybe they can add an addendum declaring that anyone with bonespurs can serve in some capacity. No more notes from Daddy's Dr. who rents office space from the old man claiming little Johnny footsie is a hurtin' the poor thing.

You’re aware that Clinton, and Biden also had to get some bullshit exemption to avoid the draft as well right?

Biden has one more student deferment than Trump and has the same type of medical exemption.

 

[Clipper]

You’re aware that Clinton, and Biden also had to get some bullshit exemption to avoid the draft as well right?

Biden has one more student deferment than Trump and has the same type of medical exemption.

Clinton & Biden were college students. Trump was slumming in NYC bars chasing tail.

See the diference?

 

[Couchpotato]

Clinton & Biden were college students. Trump was slumming in NYC bars chasing tail.

See the diference?

Are you really that misinformed? They all got undergrad deferments dipshit. Trump while he was a Wharton, Biden at the U of Delaware, Clinton at Georgetown and Oxford. So no I don’t see the difference. Why don’t you point it out.

 

[jc456]

Maybe they can add an addendum declaring that anyone with bonespurs can serve in some capacity. No more notes from Daddy's Dr. who rents office space from the old man claiming little Johnny footsie is a hurtin' the poor thing.

What was slic Willie’s excuse? You fkers really forget ole slic

 

[Couchpotato]

What was slic Willie’s excuse?

He got the same undergrad deferments as Biden and Trump. He just didn’t get a medical exemption after college like they did.

 

[jc456]

He got the same undergrad deferments as Biden and Trump. He just didn’t get a medical exemption after college like they did.

Why didn’t he serve since it’s so fking important to you