I’d like to see the government run by engineers, physical scientists, and mathematicians. They’re the real smart ones out there:)

Jeff

I’d love to see our federal government run as a pretty strict meritocracy, with the people best qualified to run the country actually doing so. Wealth and popularity (often purchased with wealth, unsurprisingly) are stupid reasons to vote for someone, yet that’s what happens most of the time.

I certainly cannot imagine why one would want to have the job of President. It’s well beyond my capacity to understand the rationale, motivation, or hubris that goes into wanting such a job. It is my personal belief that “Public Service” is a very minor reason for the three current candidates for the job.

Jeff

As for palatable candidates who weren’t in the race – you imagine they might have been if they’d had McCain’s money?

There might be a lot of Republicans that might be more palatable than McCain, but none of them were running for president. At the lowest point of McCains campaign, he was reduced to budget travel…..certainly Cindy would have given him a Gulfstream if she were a good sugarmomma. You’re right about money mattering.

I’d like to see the size of Obama’s, Hillary’s, or McCain’s foreign bank amounts…..and before I get flamed for that one: Diversication of assets is a smart thing, and all three of them are very smart.

Jeff

As for Hillary, I feel like she’s angling for something. Not sure what she wants – a cabinet post? Can’t see her wanting to be VP, although that could be a possibility. I feel certain Obama knows what she wants and her continued presence in the race suggests that he doesn’t want to give it to her.

On a side note, I’m wondering what Hillary has on Obama….what bombshell she’s going to drop. She’s known for her tightness with a buck, and is committed to staying in the race. After all, why would she spend about 12 million of her own money for a losing cause??? According to some of my trading buddies(who know these type of things), she has something that is so big as to render Obama unelectable. If this is mere speculation, I don’t know. I have heard the same rumors in the financial circles for a couple of weeks, and they are affecting the market spreads. I don’t know whether to believe these rumours, and don’t really care if they are true or not, but note their existence. I do know that Hillary plays to win, and has a regal sense of entitlement, and would not put anything past her. If McCain could make a comeback, and Bill Clinton was the “Come-Back Kid,” why couldn’t Hillary stage a coup? Stranger things have happened. I do expect some fireworks, and will enjoy the show:)

Jeff

However, I’m an supporter of blind trusts as a requirement for holding a public office.

I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for things to change, regarding public disclosure of net worth aand income. Congress simply doesn’t have the will to force members to make a full and accurate disclosure.

The Republicans were howling for Teresa Heinz Kerry’s returns because she was very political, with donations approaching those of George Soros(The Palindrome). Cindy McCain is just a trophy wife, without an original thought in her head. She doesn’t matter in the equation, as she’s more concerned with shopping. Oddly, she has one of the finest collections of Frederic Remington’s works, from what I’ve been told.

Jeff

Frankly, I’m baffled.

Fortune 435 is great fun, but its worth is not its revelation of congressional wealth; rather, it demonstrates the weaknesses in the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 that requires financial disclosures by members of Congress….