In full disclosure, I am a registered Democrat. I have donated small amounts to Corey Booker and Sherrod Brown. Today, my wife and I discussed an article she read about J. D. Vance. Vance is running for Senate as a Republican candidate against Josh Mandel as they desire to unseat Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown.
Donald Trump endorsed J. D. Vance. Here are their resumes and Sherrod Brown's resume.
Using the criteria in my book, How to Select an American President that is tailorable to selecting Senators, I have evaluated the candidates.
Born: James Donald Bowman
August 2, 1984 (age 37)
Middletown, Ohio, U.S.
EducationOhio State University (B.A.)
Yale University (J.D.)
OccupationAuthor, commentator, venture capitalist
Known for Commentary on rural sociology, poverty, Hillbilly culture
Notable work: Hillbilly Elegy
Political party Republican[1]
Spouse(s) Usha Chilukuri
(m. 2014)
Children2
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service 2003–2007
Rank Corporal
Unit 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Battles/wars Iraq War
Josh Mandel
48th Treasurer of Ohio
In-office: January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2019
Governor: John Kasich
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 17th district
In-office: January 1, 2007 – January 1, 2011
Personal details
Born: Joshua Aaron Mandel
September 27, 1977 (age 44)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political party: Republican
Spouse(s): Ilana Shafran
(m. 2008; div. 2020)
Children 3
Education: Ohio State University (B.A.)
Case Western Reserve University (J.D.)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service Marine Corps Reserve
Years of service 2000–2008
Rank Sergeant
Battles/wars Iraq War
Sherrod Brown
United States Senator from Ohio
Incumbent
Assumed office: January 3, 2007
Chair of the Senate Banking Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office February 3, 2021
Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee
In-office January 3, 2015 – February 3, 2021
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 13th district
In-office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2007
47th Secretary of State of Ohio
In-office
January 12, 1983 – January 14, 1991
Governor: Dick Celeste
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 61st district
In-office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1983
Personal details
Born Sherrod Campbell Brown
November 9, 1952 (age 69)
Mansfield, Ohio, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Larke Ummel
(m. 1979; div. 1987)
Connie Schultz
(m. 2004)
[1]
Children 2 and 2 stepchildren
Residence(s) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Education Yale University (B.A.)
Ohio State University (M.A., MPA)
OccupationPolitician
teacher
First, I highly value any candidate who has served in the Military. That is one of many considerations. J. D. Vance has a compelling life story for his young age of 37 years. He has achieved much in personal education, though compared with Josh Mandel, 1) Mandel is a lawyer, and 2) he has won and served in an elected office where Vance has not. If I were a Republican, I would favor Mandell.
However, the incumbent, Sherrod Brown, has seniority in office that benefits Ohio constituents over a new incumbent. Brown's senior experience weighs heavily among all the factors, and neither Republican candidate outrates him.
Now, it's your turn. Consider the criteria and tell me what you think.
How to Select a Senator, Part 2 of 2
I described the Job Model for a U.S. Senator in the first part. I will derive the skill, knowledge, and experience requirements from that.
See the link: http://howtoselectanamericanpresident.blogspot.com/2017/02/how-to-select-senator-part-1-of-2.html
By comparison, you may refer to How to Select an American President by James A. George with James A. Rodger © 2017 Archway Publishing. What is the difference between the job requirements and those of a U.S. Senator?
There is one big difference; a U.S. Senator is not a chief executive or commander-in-chief. A Senator who also possesses CEO experience might be an excellent candidate for President.
The job of a Senator focuses on the law. A Senator writes, amends, retires, and changes laws in concert with other Senators. The position requires collaboration and consensus. It requires exceptional communications skills.
Something strange about the American Political System is that specific domain expertise comes to the Senate randomly. For instance, the nation may need a Senator with legal and scientific or medical expertise. It is accidental that states will produce incumbents with the required knowledge.
A high priority is to engineer a sustainable economy around a renewable energy paradigm. What expertise should a Senator possess to help produce important legislation that serves that purpose?
First and foremost, a Senator should be trained in the law. After that, they should reflect on the knowledge and expertise that maps to what will be necessary for the nation to optimize the return on national resources for the next 6-12 years or more.
As with the President, citizens should want their Senators to be of high intelligence. They should have demonstrated integrity and ethical behavior.
They should have credentials from the best universities to include the best in their State of representation and beyond.
Senators must have demonstrated allegiance to their country, including having served in the U.S. Military or other public service. They should have shown loyalty to their political party through hands-on engagement.
Look at the candidates' resumes.
Here is an outline to guide your consideration and encourage candidates to tell their stories following this guide.
· Candidate name:
The kind of candidate I am: (Their words)
· Met the statutory requirements: Age requirement: 30 years, Citizen of the U.S.: 9 years minimum, Be an inhabitant of the State for which chosen to represent
· Birthdate:
· Place of birth:
· Residences during the past 9 years:
· Intelligence Quotient (I.Q.): (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 30-50, Middle 51-60, Older 61 >
· Affected Class:
· Candidate description:
· Verified by Census filing
· Voter assessment of character and behavior
We identified specific terms that help differentiate and describe candidates listed in alphabetical order from reviewing past presidents.
o Adaptive
o Allegiant to the Constitution and nation
o Brave in the face of adversity
o Leader, follower
o Listener, talker
o Passionate, impassionate, easy-going
o Process-oriented (how), task-oriented (what), results-oriented (outcomes)
o Thundering or reassuring
o 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 current 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
Ability to manage the economy: The job of the President is to create an environment in which private enterprise can flourish as that is what increases revenues.
· Optimization = Increasing GDP and higher quality service for the least cost and labor intensity
· Presidential Platform and Agenda: Priorities, Issues, Causes, Programs, Solutions, Vision
· Banking
· Fossil fuels
· Energy independence
· Entrepreneurs
· Food supply
· Green renewable
· Housing
· Infrastructure
· Job creation
· Manufacturing
· Nation-building
· Nuclear
· Peace-building
· Preemptive war
· Promote democracy
· Sustainable economy
· Transportation
· War is the last resort
Relationship with Powerful Forces: Military Industrial Complex, Wall Street, PACs, and Lobbyists
· Political Party
Relationships with party leadership
· Values:
o Attitude about big business
o Attitude about campaign contributions
o Attitude toward educators
o Attitude about free speech
o Attitude about government regulation
o Attitude toward gun control
o Attitude to health care
o Attitude toward immigrants
o Attitude about organized labor
o Attitude about public service
o Attitude to rural America
o Attitude about small business
o Attitude toward women
o Attitude toward immigrants
o Attitude toward minorities
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
