Politicians should they have a minimum IQ of average?
Poll: Politicians should they have a minimum IQ of average?
Total Members Polled: 64
Discussion
An Australian journalist (Peter Gleeson) has suggested recently that Queensland politicians must undergo mandatory testing and face the sack if they refuse or score below the state average.
Gleeson said:
These are the people who guide our future, debate major laws and put in place policy that is supposed to reflect community expectations. It is a huge responsibility but some of our MPs - and Cabinet Ministers for that matter - are way out of their depth. Why let dumb politicians ruin our lives?
Does Gleeson have a point, and if so, how about our MPs? academic achievement isn't the be all and end all here.
Some people with no qualifications have gone on to be very successful business people, and some with impressive qualifications cant relate to the public.
You really need a bit of both - decent qualifications, with some worldly knowledge and experience.
Some people with no qualifications have gone on to be very successful business people, and some with impressive qualifications cant relate to the public.
You really need a bit of both - decent qualifications, with some worldly knowledge and experience.
Edited by BlueFocus on Wednesday 25th August 13:10
Pitre said:
It's democracy innit? You vote for a wildebeest if you want to, that's your right....
Political decision making might take a hit if that became widespread following mass support for a Wildebeest Party.
BlueFocus said:
academic achievement isn't the be all and end all here.
Aye but strictly speaking an IQ test isn't academic achievement, it's not an academic qualification as per GCSEs, A-levels, degrees.deckster said:
My only observation is that anybody who uses IQ as a proxy for competence has no business speaking about either.
How is it being used as a proxy for incompetence? According to the quote it's being used as a proxy for dumbass politician / not dumbass.politician. Beyond that, Gleeson doesn't say.
Gary C said:
Pitre said:
It's democracy innit? You vote for a wildebeest if you want to, that's your right....
No, you have to vote for the lizards as if you don't, the wrong lizard might get in.10 PH points to the first person to recognise that reference
“It comes from a very ancient democracy, you see..."
"You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?"
"No," said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, "nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford. "It is."
"So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't people get rid of the lizards?"
"It honestly doesn't occur to them," said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards?"
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?"
Earthdweller said:
No
A proven record of common sense, maybe
The brightest person I know, absolute genius level, a lad who I went to school with is has a doctorate, is a professor and head of a college in North America yet I wouldn’t trust him to cross the road on his own
Instantly rules out most graduates imho. A proven record of common sense, maybe
The brightest person I know, absolute genius level, a lad who I went to school with is has a doctorate, is a professor and head of a college in North America yet I wouldn’t trust him to cross the road on his own
Earthdweller said:
No
A proven record of common sense, maybe
The brightest person I know, absolute genius level, a lad who I went to school with is has a doctorate, is a professor and head of a college in North America yet I wouldn’t trust him to cross the road on his own
I’d rather a politician had extensive experience of working in the real world and also have solid links to the constituency they’re aiming to represent.A proven record of common sense, maybe
The brightest person I know, absolute genius level, a lad who I went to school with is has a doctorate, is a professor and head of a college in North America yet I wouldn’t trust him to cross the road on his own
Too many politicians go from uni straight into the party machine or affiliated think tanks or unions and are then parachuted into a safe seat without the first clue of the area and then spend years faithfully toadying the party line even if it’s to the detriment to their constituency.
vonuber said:
I'd have it done via random selection of the populous for a fixed term.
So you could get literally anyone being an MP, from across entire socio economic structure.
Sortition looks a great idea on paper, but I fear it hands even more power to senior uncivil serpents, I would not wish that to happen.So you could get literally anyone being an MP, from across entire socio economic structure.
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