Vetting Presidential Candidates

The Republican Party failed to properly vet candidate Donald Trump as did the Democratic Party failed to vet Hillary Clinton. For very different reasons, neither were acceptable candidates and both parties a liable for having hosted faulty candidates.

What does “vetting” mean?

Using my book, How to Select an American President by James A. George and James A. Rodger © 2017 Archway Publishing, here is how I think American voters would like to have it.

First, national political parties are corporate entities. Holding them accountable for performance is complicated by their being “umbrellas” for state organizations that are non-profit corporations. This is important because citizens have every right to hold them accountable for their performance. The trouble is, citizens are either unknowledgeable about political parties or fail to engage them sufficiently with oversight.

The purpose of political parties is to advance a platform of values and beliefs that guide policy and legislation. They host candidacies for public office and incumbencies. Those representatives bearing their name are allegiant to the platform. Individuals also have manifestos that represent what they intend to accomplish during their specific terms of office. That applies to those seeking and holding offices in the US House of Representatives, the US Senate, and Office of President.

Running for office as a member of the two major political parties should require that the parties vet the qualifications and credentials of candidates. The basis for that must go beyond the meager Constitutional requirements. For every elected office there are job descriptions or job models, and associated skill, knowledge, experience, and proficiency requirements and standards. In addition, there are behavioral and medical considerations that should bear a credentialed certification by board-certified physicians.

Today, there are no standards for that which is why America is experiencing a crisis in leadership and representation. The integrity of individual representatives including the president needs a thorough auditing.

I will write more articles addressing this, though you are advised to read my book.

“The national political parties are non-profit corporations, exempt from taxes under the IRS code as 527 organizations.  527s can also be independent political action committees, but the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee have been sheltered under those rules for a long time. 

 Remember, the national parties in the US are actually umbrella groups, with member parties from the 50 states, DC and the territories.  How any local party may be structured can be different, based on state laws. 

 There are also often separately registered structures, such as the national campaign committees to elect party members to the Senate and to the House of Representatives.” 

 https://www.quora.com/What-form-of-business-organization-do-the-Republican-and-Democratic-national-parties-take-LLC-Corporation