Are grades a factor in your vote?

[Aunt Spiker]

If your candidate for president or representative had poor grades in college (or highschool if no college was taken) in courses of government, politics, law, economics, etc - does that effect your view of them?

Why or why not.

If it effects your view of them negatively - does their following political-life change any of it?

 

[UtahBill]

yes and no....
some are slow learners, but they retain knowledge better long term, so no...

if their grades are low due to lack of effort, yes.

 

[Tsunami]

I am a fan of intelligence, but grades don't necessarily indicate brains. It's somewhat of a factor though, especially in cases like JFK, Jr. who was famous for failing the bar exam a couple times. Unlike the previous poster, I would prefer they failed because of lack of effort rather than lack of intelligence. One can improve as you get older, the other cannot.

But I'm more interested in the opinions they expressed in those classes. Here in Virginia our governor-elect got in trouble for some law school paper he wrote arguing that birth control degrades the family and women shouldn't have careers. I found those opinions more relevant than grades.

 

[liblady]

If your candidate for president or representative had poor grades in college (or highschool if no college was taken) in courses of government, politics, law, economics, etc - does that effect your view of them?

Why or why not.

If it effects your view of them negatively - does their following political-life change any of it?

not necessarily. grades are only one part of the larger equation. i do, however, want my elected officials to be smarter than i.

 

[UtahBill]

I am a fan of intelligence, but grades don't necessarily indicate brains. It's somewhat of a factor though, especially in cases like JFK, Jr. who was famous for failing the bar exam a couple times. Unlike the previous poster, I would prefer they failed because of lack of effort rather than lack of intelligence. One can improve as you get older, the other cannot.

But I'm more interested in the opinions they expressed in those classes. Here in Virginia our governor-elect got in trouble for some law school paper he wrote arguing that birth control degrades the family and women shouldn't have careers. I found those opinions more relevant than grades.

True, grades are not the major issue. We aren't taught, tested, or graded on common sense, good judgement, how well we treat others, etc. until we run for office, then the report cards come in from everyone who has ever dealth with us....

 

[Redress]

Depends. Grades last week, last year, 20 years ago? What has a person accomplished since getting those grades? A surgeon who got poor grades but ended up on of the top in his field, I won't consider his grades much.

 

[jackalope]

I keep wanting to say no, but that's not entirely accurate.

Good grades might make a small incremental difference at some point in the evaluation process. Bad grades probably don't matter at all.

 

[RightinNYC]

I keep wanting to say no, but that's not entirely accurate.

Good grades might make a small incremental difference at some point in the evaluation process. Bad grades probably don't matter at all.

Exactly. Obama's stellar performance in law school is strong evidence that he's smart. Bush/Kerry/McCain/Biden's poor grades in college/law school don't prove that they're dumb.

 

[vvx]

If your candidate for president or representative had poor grades in college (or highschool if no college was taken) in courses of government, politics, law, economics, etc - does that effect your view of them?

Why or why not.

If it effects your view of them negatively - does their following political-life change any of it?

Well, I can't see myself ever voting for someone to be president or a representative that didn't have a college degree. I think some important analytical thinking skills are developed in college, and while you could learn them on your own you're not as likely to.

As far as grades, like others have said. Good grades show that someone is smart, but bad grades don't mean someone is dumb. So if someone had average grades, but had detailed plans for what they wanted to do that make economic sense they would show their intelligence through that, rather than their grades.

 

[UtahBill]

Intellect, grades, business acumen, etc. must not mean much to the GOP. They selected McCain over Romney....

 

[WI Crippler]

Not really. If somebody got all A's in college, but is a commie loving, terrorist apologizing, jellyfish spined *****, I am not going to vote for them.