Billgatesforpresident.net – 12-05-06:
Every four years pundits, radio talk show hosts and U.S. citizens beg for a presidential candidate who’s not a career politician. And every four years the two major parties nominate — you guessed it — career politicians! No true, non-political alternatives have the party backing, or, it seems, the ability to connect and gain our trust.
Here’s a name that could overcome all these obstacles: Bill Gates. Not the old Bill Gates spouting technology, wearing ill-fitting clothes and crushing competitors for sport (though his company is doing this with relish and third parties are paying the price). No. I’m talking about the new Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
I mentioned this idea to my mother and her eyes opened wide (the way they did every time my high school assistant principal called) and she exclaimed “Wow!” After a few seconds of thought she said “Wow” again.
Bill has no major skeletons (I’m guessing) and has taken non-political, purely rational stances on today’s major issues.
Who would you trust to develop a policy on global warming? Who is today’s best ambassador to the third world, to India, to China? But Bill has no experience in foreign policy! True, but neither did the governor of Georgia, California, Arkansas or Texas. Imagine if our fundamental approach to the world was based on logical approaches to curing disease, spreading opportunity, saving the environment and teaching children. A foreign policy flowing from this river would be rich indeed.
Dilbert creator Scott Adams writes in his blog that Gates would make a good candidate.
By then, Bill Gates will have done so much good for the world through his charitable works that combined with his business success he’ll appear more qualified than any other candidate. His early bachelor life and some of his business practices will come back to haunt him if he runs, but he can still win with this simple slogan: “Who would you rather have on your side?” He’ll confess to all of his past imperfections and say that presidents are poor choices for role models. He’ll advise you to look to your parents for role models while you let him run the country.
I had not thought of Bill for president, but after reading this blog entry I think it is a great idea that deserves further exploration. The main question I have is does he want to do it? I have never heard any political aspirations from Bill Gates. Free ipods with “Vote for Bill” on them!
At least you know he wouldn’t be taking the job to enrich himself.
Warren Buffet for Secretary of the Treasury! 🙂
Having read a few books on the subject, it seems to me that Bill Gates is a smart guy who stumbled upon success rather than having created it.
Mr. Gates is too smart to accept the job I would think.
But that said I’d rather have Steve Jobs as President.
I mean, would you want the job?
Because of all the stresses and problems associated with the job, almost by definition, anyone who actually wants the job isn’t qualified or has something wrong with them.
I believe it was L. Neil Smith in some of his books who came up with a system where the President was drafted at random. If the person picked did a crappy job they were forced to serve a second term as punishment.
3,
I would say that Gates is someone who was handed a fantastic opportunity and didn’t f*ck it up. That’s something, as many who get such things usually screw the pooch (like our current president). I’d be happy with someone who knows how to deal with the situations presented to him.
I think this might be plausible, he is pro business, pro anti poverty, he is obviously is a vicious no holds bar kind of guy, and thats a quality politicians have to have whether they want to or not. And technology is the basis a strong economy which would help our country.
He could start an exploratory committee for the 2008 election, but he wouldn’t run until 2012.
there’s nothing wrong with a career politicians
career politicians know how to negotiate deals based on intangible favors and international diplomacy, not just supply-and-demand marketplace economics.
and what the hell does running a software company or a big charity do to prepare you to deploy soldiers into harm’s way?
this is a spiffy-sounding idea, and businessmen and women apparently make good mayors and governors who deal almost exclusively with domestic issues, but being commander-in-chief of the world’s most powerful arsenal might require a bit deeper bench in world politics — and i don’t mean wrangle with eu bureaucrats.
“what the hell does running a software company or a big charity do to prepare you to deploy soldiers into harm’s way?”
What the hell does being governor of a state do to prepare you to deploy soldiers into harm’s way? I personally cannot remember the last time a state declared war. Maybe you’re a little older than I am.
So John, what do you think about this? Would you vote for him?
Ken, you do know who our current president is, right?
#9 – how does being a Governor or a 1 term Senator or Representative give you any better handle on the items you mentioned?
The problem with businessmen as pols is that sometimes they forget where they are. In business when you are The Boss, you can just create a new reality from nothing by talking about your vision a lot and getting your underlings to make it happen, regardless if they think it’s a stupid idea. Microsoft Bob and Windows ME are good examples. But in end when it sucks, you can just dump it and move forward, erase it from memory and pretend it never existed.
In politics, you can’t just dump your really bad ideas and forget about them. As much as some recent presidents would like to…
Wasn’t this tried with Ross Perot . Wasn’t he a big businessman (or a big-business man)? sorry, my history is a little fuzzy.
Career politicians are only interested in propagating their careers.
“you can’t just dump your really bad ideas and forget about them.”
Yeah you can. When Clinton first got into office he tried to set up socialized medicine in the US. Remember how he set up Hilary to be in charge of the project? Anyway, it went bust. The same could be said of W’s plan to privatize social security. He failed and moved on.
Decades ago someone approached Bob Hope for running for President. He said there’s no way my wife would move into that small of house.
Sounds a hell of a lot like our current administration.
Ross Parrot and Bill G. sold the same things: Fear Uncertainty Doubt (FUD) and CHURN. Would we have to re-boot the federal government every couple of years when we get the BSOD?
Think of Digital Rights Management, EULA’s and the Windows Registry before you vote!
#7 pro anti poverty,
I have no comment about that… I just wanted to highlight those three words 🙂
But anyway, I could seriously entertain the notion of voting for Bill Gates.
I would vote for Bill G without hesitation – even if he ran as a republican. Imagine the contrast with George W in terms of intelligence and articulation.
He’s a vocal proponent of progressive taxation, which is a big strike in my book…
Perhaps I should provide a little background to give my statement a little more effect. I use GNU/Linux daily and I am a big Open Source advocate. You could say I’m not a big fan of XP, and I will most definitely own Vista.
But, like Scott Adams said, today’s Gates is not the man who licensed DOS to IBM. While Gates is still “Chief Architect” at MS, I am under the impression that he wasn’t exactly heavily involved in the coding of Vista or Office. He runs one of the most successful businesses in the world today, that makes me think he woulod be able to handle the enormous responsibilities of the presidency.
Plus, he’s a huge geek. Anybody that was more into programming and (sort of) creating an operating system than doing coke and joining a fraternity (*wink*wink*) would definitely not be the first one to invade a sovereign nation under false pretenses and directly in opposition of the UN.
I’d vote for him.
Terrible website. The guy should have done his homework. I’d love to see his face when he finds out. Bill Gates could NEVER be elected president regardless of him money, charisma, or campaign prowess. Why?
He’s atheist.
I’m stunned that the website and those who have commented have failed to see this.
SN…I guess I meant ideas that are actually implemented…say, Iraq.
Oh, and Bill G is really big into tech education. I seem to recall that may have been blogged here several months ago. Of all the guys, Perot and Gates have the vision thing, where that bozo Steve Forbes was just after fixing his taxes
I think Gates is doing just fine with his charity work. why are people are enamored with politics? NGOs do lots of fine work. if Gates ran for President he would get sidetracked by all the BS that’s involved with running for office, and actually governing if you win.
trust me Gates and his foundation with billions and billions of endowment funds will do more to help the world then the president of anyone’s wet dream.
So, who would be Bill G’s running mate?
Hopefully not Mr. Ballmer.
#25
Gates may not believe in ghosts but he does believe in doing what’s good for humanity. His charities attest to that. I believe the majority of Americans would support his views of doing what is right for the country, not what lines his pocket.
#25
Close but no cigar… Bill Gates is an agnostic, not an atheist.
No matter what, I can’t see him as the President of the current most powerful nation on earth. He has proved himself to be the megalomaniac of the IT world… just imagine him with an army…
Notice how NOBODY talks about Paul Allen? I wonder why? *turns off sarcasm*
To be honest I prefer someone like him or Clinton over anyone from the Bush clan.