RECENTLY, I have heard TV news commentators say, “President Obama is a nice guy. He’s cool...someone you’d want to sit down and have a beer with.” As a concerned citizen, I want to say that how handsome, nice or cool someone is, has nothing to do with the qualifications to run a country.

The Presidency of the United States of America is the highest office in the land. It should be treated with the utmost respect, and each voting citizen must look at the background of someone for whom they are about to vote.

The person running for the presidency, the Senate or the House of Representatives should possess certain attributes that will ensure he/she can do the job. Some of these are:

Honesty and integrity. Someone who has these qualities will believe in a higher power, and always be truthful with the citizens. He/she will view holding this position as a sacred honor.

Statesmanship. This would be a person who shows wisdom, skill and vision in conducting governmental affairs and dealing with public issues. This person would always have what is best for the nation uppermost in his/her mind instead of the next election.

Opens his/her background up for public scrutiny. A presidential candidate would want citizens to examine his growing up years, the papers he wrote in college, who he/she has associated with because a person tends to take on the values of those with whom he/she associates.

Constitutional conservative. When presidents, senators and members of the House of Representatives are sworn in, they place their hand on the Bible and swear allegiance to our country and our constitution. They take an oath to “preserve, protect, and defend our Constitution as it is written. They take an oath to ask if something is Constitutionally viable prior to enacting a law.

Fiscally responsible. The money coming into the U. S. Treasury to run the government is money the citizens earned by working. Not one penny should be allocated for “pet projects,” “perks,” “bailouts” or to fund projects deemed necessary by those who helped the person get into office. Only the very destitute, or those who are physically and mentally incapable of earning a wage, should be given food stamps, Medicaid and free housing allowances. It is up to all American citizens to educate themselves, learn a trade and find employment that pays for the necessities of life, and save money for the future.

Willingness to serve all citizens. This would be a person who is humble, and checks his/her ego at the door and puts others first. This person would be of sound moral principle, sincere in his/her efforts to do the best for the people of this nation. This would be a person who gives credit to others instead of heaping accolades on him/herself.

Understand how the economy works. Capitalism in America has produced the most magnificent, most exceptional nation in the history of the world. Understanding how capitalism works, creating the climate for companies to flourish and grow, getting rid of job killing regulations and educating students to understand it is their patriotic duty to graduate (not drop out) and become full-time employed so our workforce will be second to none, are all paramount to the success of our capitalistic society.

Recognize we live in a dangerous world. The person in office will be someone who has his/her finger on the pulse of every nation or domestic, who would seek to do harm to our citizens and our way of life. Recognize diplomacy can only go so far and sanctions almost never work. This person is someone who would do what is necessary to keep our military, the strongest and best trained of any in the world.

These are some, not all, of the attributes a person should have when seeking office. If any one of them is missing, this person should reconsider.

Come on America. Get out of the malls and the movies. Turn off Letterman. Realize what is important here. Make your candidate of choice meet high ethical standards.

Don’t vote for a party. Vote your values.