Democrats search for a leader

Unfortunately, the Democratic Party can't call a timeout to retool. It has to go to battle with the leaders it has. A story in The Hill today points to the party's decline in sources of leadership.

Since the number of states with Democrat Governors is way down, there are few choices. Therefore, they turn to the Senate for leadership.

In my new soon-to-be-released book, How to Select an American President (c) 2016, Archway Publishing, Dr. James Rodger and I suggest a template for building a candidate's resume. Here is a sneak preview:

"Describing the ideal candidate for President of the United States

Here we have developed an outline to guide your consideration and to encourage candidates to tell their story following this guide.

•    Candidate name:
The kind of candidate I am: (Their words)
•    Met the statutory requirements: 1) Citizen born in USA, 2) Age 35 years or greater, 3) Lived in the country for past 14 years
•    Birth date:
•    Place of birth:
•    Residences during the past 14 years:
•    Intelligence Quotient (IQ): (Provided by candidates from an accredited source)
•    Education:
o    High School (School Name/Location)
o    College Graduate (College/University Name/Location
•    Degree Type:
o    Major areas of study:
o    GPA:
o    Honors/Distinctions:
o    Post Graduate (University Name/Location) (for each)
•    Professional Certifications:
o    Bar
o    CPA
o    Engineer
o    Medical Doctor
o    Other
•    Occupation/Vocation/Profession:
•    Health Status: Healthy, sick, recovering, recovered: Verified with doctor’s report
Voter’s assessment of candidate age: (Will the candidate be able to complete two terms? Does the candidate have sufficient knowledge and experience as evidenced by the time spent to acquire it?)
•    Young 35-50, Middle 51-60, Older 61 >
•    Affected Class:
•    Candidate description:
•    Verified by Census filing
•    Voter assessment of character and behavior
From reviewing past president’s we identified certain terms that are helpful in differentiating and describing candidates listed in alphabetical order.
•    Adaptive
•    Allegiant to the Constitution and nation
•    Brave in the face of adversity
•    Leader, follower
•    Listener, talker
•    Passionate, impassionate, easy-going
•    Process-oriented (how), task-oriented (what), results-oriented (outcomes)
•    Thundering or reassuring
•    Visionary, administrator, integrator, independent, loner
This category is refined further, though this is a thought starter.
•    Voters’ assessment of leadership style
Similarly, we captured some words used to describe leadership styles.
o    Collaborator
o    Creative and inventive
o    Delegator
o    Detailer
o    Do it yourself
o    Hands-on
o    You’re fired
•    Education and Training (Professional Development)
Life-long learning – It is beneficial to observe how presidential candidates have stayed abreast of contemporary knowledge and skill requirements.
•    Knowledge:
o    American government system
o    Concept of operations
o    Concept of the role of the president in optimizing the nation’s government performance
o    Constitution
o    Economics
o    Entitlements
o    Foreign policy
o    Information and communications technology
o    International trade
o    Knowing each governmental department and primary expectations for them
o    Knowing how to create laws
o    Knowing how to work with Congress
o    Law
o    Operational architecture
o    Primary presidential tasks and associated outcomes

•    Skill:
o    Administrative
o    Budgeting
o    Strategic planning
o    Writing
o    Speaking
o    Negotiating
o    Collaborating
o    Debating
o    Planning
o    Problem-solving
o    Decision-making
o    Sense-making
o    Predicting
o    Modeling
o    Recruiting and staffing
o    Organization development
o    Program evaluation and management
•    Life History (Childhood to adulthood status)
The kind of person that can relate to me; the kind of person to whom I can relate; my kind of person:
o    The person next door
o    The person who lives on the best street
o    Successful
o    Hobo (like Harry Truman)
•    Ability to manage the economy: The job of president is to create an environment in which private enterprise can flourish as that is what increases revenues.
o    Optimization = Increasing GDP and higher quality service for the least cost and labor intensity
o    Presidential Platform and Agenda: Priorities, Issues, Causes, Programs, Solutions, Vision
o    Banking
o    Fossil fuels
o    Energy independence
o    Entrepreneurs
o    Food supply
o    Green renewable
o    Housing
o    Infrastructure
o    Job creation
o    Manufacturing
o    Nation-building
o    Nuclear
o    Peace-building
o    Preemptive war
o    Promote democracy
o    Sustainable economy
o    Transportation
o    War is last resort
•    Relationship with Powerful Forces: Military Industrial Complex, Wall Street, PACs and Lobbyists
•    Political Party
o    Relationships with party leadership
•    Values:
o    Attitude about big business
o    Attitude about campaign contributions
o    Attitude about educators
o    Attitude about free speech
o    Attitude about government regulation
o    Attitude about gun control
o    Attitude about health care
o    Attitude about immigrants
o    Attitude about organized labor
o    Attitude about public service
o    Attitude about rural America
o    Attitude about small business
o    Attitude about women and minorities
o    Attitude toward immigrants
o    Attitude toward monitories
o    Patriotic
o    States’ rights versus Central government
o    Work ethic
•    Military Experience:
o    Rank
o    Combat Veteran
o    Unit
o    Command
o    Wars and battles
o    Citations and awards
•    Public Office Experience:
o    Vice President
o    Judge
o    Department Secretary
o    Governor
o    Senator
o    House Representatives
o    Mayor
o    State Legislature
o    Other Public Service
•    Private Sector Experience:
o    CEO/President
o    Large Corporation
o    Medium Corporation
o    Small Business
o    Vice President
o    Director
o    Professional Manager
o    Entrepreneur
o    Inventor
o    Patents
•    Memberships: Organizations and Leadership positions
•    Voters’ assessment of candidates on religion: Faith matters; Faith is irrelevant; Faith is private."

How to Select an American President by James A. George with James A. Rodger (c) 2016 Archway Publishing.

Senators Warner, Warren, and Gillibrand scored well. The leaders may reside in the private sector. Keep looking.

"Depleted Dems look to Senate for 2020 nominee 

BY ALEXANDER BOLTON - 12/08/16 06:00 AM EST  1,174 

The Senate is emerging as Democrats’ most promising recruiting ground for a presidential candidate in 2020 — in part because of the party’s deep losses in gubernatorial mansions.  

The ranks of Democratic governors have been hit, with a string of losses reducing their numbers to a paltry 16. 

That’s leaving the Senate as perhaps the most likely place for the next Democratic star to rise." 

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/309360-depleted-dems-look-to-senate-for-2020-nominee

Democrat Senators who are good leaders