Atlantic Council Senior Advisor Harlan Ullman writes for United Press International on the discrepancies in the qualifications of the top Republican party candidates for president:
At this moment, and it may quickly fade, four candidates are the leading contenders to win the Republican presidential nomination next year: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.
In terms of experience, none brings extraordinary or even entry-level qualifications to serve as the nation’s chief executive. Two have no government experience, which to some Americans is important, and no one would choose a surgeon with such an empty resume. And two have not served enough time in the U.S. Senate to warrant an experienced stamp of approval.
On temperament, readers can make up their minds. But, in terms of the only absolute requirements for president specified in the U.S. Constitution, clearly one candidate fails muster. The Constitution requires only four qualifications for president. That person must be at least thirty-five years old, reside for at least fourteen years in the country, receive a majority of Electoral College votes, and be a “natural born citizen.”