Can There Be An Honest President? If So, Who?

a reply to: samstone11

The closest we ever got to a honest President in the US was Jimmy Carter. Even he was not perfect but he was as genuine and honest as it gets in the Modern Era anyways. I do believe that RFK would have been a good candidate. However, in the current form of things there is no one who would not be forced into a compromising position as President. Until our Government is entirely reformed and returned to it's proper intent that ship has sailed. It doesn't matter what the intentions are going in. It's the harsh realities that are out of there control once they enter office that subdues any possibility of honesty in true form.

Honesty is no longer a human trait so there is no need to continue searching for it.

a reply to: ThinkingCap

George Bush in the 2000 debate sounded like Ron Paul in the 2008 debates, scary.

Makes me wonder if Bush made a deal to get power, abandoning his true ideology, and working off a script handed to him by Cheney and the Neo-cons.

A AI

Program it to make decisions only based on a set parameters based on the constitution.

a reply to: samstone11

The President is considered honest when he goes along what the general population believes to be right. Which, in my opinion, considering the size of the US, is impossible. There will always be division and someone somewhere will always consider the President dishonest and campaign on it, and other people will eventually join that parade.

You can see it happening over and over again.

But that's not to blame on the politicians. It's actually on the people. It's the people who buy into the media made-up news and smear campaigns. People accept and even enjoy when different candidates throw word-fists at each-other, or launch smear campaigns filled with lies.

People also accept that Presidents accept money for their campaigns, which said money comes from large corporations that in return ask for legislation and policy changes - or no changes at all.

...again, this is not a secret, especially in a place like ATS.

When people stop taking that crap, things will change. Until then, the groups that f# us all will continue to infiltrate all layers of society and masking their objectives with sane and plausible arguments, that actually aren't if you look into them.

If everyone demands the same thing from politicians, they will have no choice but to swim to the beat of the people.

There is this saying in the food industry, that "if the consumer doesn't want it, they won't buy it". The same applies to politics. Tell the politicians you won't stand for any more BS, and they will have no choice but to be honest and be persons of integrity. They won't be elected otherwise.

At worst, you will see all the dishonest politicians being replaced by honest ones.

a reply to: samstone11

I think that by the time a politician reaches nation attention, he/she is already in the pocket of someone. That's how the politician gained so much attention in the first place. He/she has a 'benefactor'. It seems to be a sad fact that the American political system is driven only by money. In order to get the kind of money needed to win a national election, candidates have to start accepting inappropriate 'support' at an early stage of thier career. Of course, I could be mistaken. I hope I am.

originally posted by: samstone11
Granted there are examples of each and every president being caught red-handed in lies to the public, but some of it is understood to be for our best interest. However, the level of dishonesty to the point of abuse by this president would never be tolerated anywhere except politics and clearly the nation and the world is tired of it. Poll after poll shows declining trust in even the smallest things our president has to say, and without doubt it contributes enormously to the eroding status of the US on the world stage.

I would not mind nearly as much if the president of America, whoever it is, was to say he/she can't or won't address a specific issue or answer a particular question if he/she could somehow explain why it national security or otherwise dangerous to do so. Even if it was more often than not, as long as there was a reasonable and acceptable rationale accompanying such a statement. At least when a statement was made, there would be a much higher likelihood it could be believable and the world might return some of that lost confidence in us again.

Just don't lie.

So, can anyone think of a politician who meets the dual criteria of most honest as well as capable of leading the United States? I understand that being truthful is only one of many characteristics a president should have, but doesn't it go a long ways towards finding someone the entire world would appreciate? Or are the presidency and honesty mutually exclusive of one another?

I really fear it is the latter

What do you mean by 'honest'? Is that he is going to reveal names who he takes orders from?

2nd.

a reply to: knightsofcydonia
Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich

a reply to: 2wheelvet
I wonder if Dennis Kucinich was President, would he tell the whole story of his BEYOND mind-boggling UFO sighting and (apparently) telepathic experience (at the same time) - where he received "mental directions" - that he had at Shirley Maclaine's house back in '82? Or would he sell out to the popular infantile mentality on the subject and keep mum about and/or whitewash it?

Either way, guess we'll never find out, because there's no way an honest and sincere enough guy like Kucinich could be elected President in the existing ultra-corrupt (secrecy-based) political world.

originally posted by: Catacomb
a reply to: samstone11

The only politician I have ever really liked, and agree with almost everything they say, has been Ron Paul. He will never be elected, but I believe he is a good person, and wouldn't let the office change him. But yeah...he'll never win an election.

Ron Paul is a millionaire though right? Done good for himself huh... Still takes the paycheck? lol... Hires his family with the funds he receives... Is a hypocrite... Ie the fed shouldnt get in yo biz! That is rediculous, only the states can do that... pfft...

But you are right... He is the best there is and well... Doesn't really give me much hope...

Vote HauntWok for president! I won't lie, and the country will effing hate me within a month for the brutal honesty I bring to the white house!

a reply to: Lightworth

the media would just cover the fact that his wife is british and has a tongue piercing.

He'd probably be a nightmare for all the GOP-factions... like the religious conservatives, who would think of him as a hedonist, the big-business interests, who would hate his attacks on corporate welfare anda u2 banks.

You know how hysterical the Right-wing has been over Obama, just imagine how upset they'd be if we had an actual leftist in office, they'd be planning a coup like in 1933.

I think that any honest person running for president of the U.S. will make promises he/she intend to keep only to find out that the system (red-tape, corruption, personal agendas, money) make it impossible to keep those promises. Not to mention all of the favors they have to do in order to pay back those who help get them elected.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

a reply to: Movhisattva

Interesting but not very relevant. Being President of Uruguay, with a population of a bit over 3 million, is like being the governor of a smaller state in the U.S., population wise. President of the U.S. is a whole different game.

I'm not sure how many people know about Obama being helped by the Chicago Mafia to win his Senate seat, but they used strong arm tactics at the polls, threats, ballot box stuffing and all kinds of cheating and it won him a seat. When you start your political career like that, I don't think Honesty is going to be an attribute you would strive for. All people see is that carrot being dangled in front of them when being promised things.

So finding an honest president isn't as important as having an honest population first.
If the countries' population were all honest including media, then a dishonest president would be getting his butt booted like a monday night football, and would be corrected pretty quick.

The question to ask now is "Would an honest president even be tolerated"? Corporations and government agencies all depend on their success due to the Dishonesty of the president right now.