Our Politicians--Are They Good Enough?

Americans love checking on their leaders.

Last April President Obama was forced to release his birth certificate to prove that he is indeed a born-and-bred American. Today I saw another news; Rick Perry, the current Governor of Texas who intends to run for president in 2012 got his academic transcript examined by the media, and guess what? Rick Perry is not really smart.

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Academic transcript is like our passport to a better job. I guess many of us remember how we had our brain juice squeezed to the last drop every time we entered the examination hall, the nights we spent cuddling into a ball in the library, and the dates we had to let go because there was a test on the following morning. All those we did, for the sake of a nicely furnished academic transcript.

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A good academic transcript ensures a good-paying job, and the glamor that comes with the job.
When it comes to job, however, nothing beats the glamor and status of a President. But managing a country is no laughing matter, especially if you ought to manage the most powerful country on Earth. A wrong word could set off a nuclear war, and maybe a fart could cause an unrest somewhere in the world. Not understanding what your science advisor says is embarrassing enough, and more often than not, most politicians don't understand a thing in science.

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And Rick Perry, with his towering ego and theory of rhetoric, is not the most suitable candidate for the post. Let's take a look at his transcript:

At least at the start of college, Mr. Perry did not make any F’s, turning in mostly C’s along with a smattering of B’s and one A as well as one D, which he received for a class in plane trigonometry during the spring semester of 1969.

The grades did not improve as his college career went on, as Mr. Perry pushed ahead with some of the more difficult science courses including organic chemistry, in which he made a D one semester and an F in another. His other D’s included courses in the principles of economics, Shakespeare, “Feeds & Feeding,” veterinary anatomy, and what appears to be a course called “Meats,” though the quality of the copy of the transcript makes it hard to tell for certain.

I am not making fun of Mr Perry here (only partially =P). The fact that his father was a farmer made his achievement much more commendable. But after seeing his transcript I cant help but to worry about the leaders of my own country.

In Malaysia, political leaders come from all walks of life; PhDs, Masters, degree holders, etc. And yes, a lot of them graduated from foreign universities. The Prime Minister himself graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1974. These degrees, however, do not accurately forecast the intelligence of their respective holders. Sometimes we could hear ludicrously childish comment and statement made by these degree holders on TV. So one can never help but to wonder how did they do it? Er.. I mean how did they even graduate?

Image: malaysiannews.info

In my university, for example, we sometimes see students extending their studies due to "unforeseen circumstances". It could be a personal choice,especially when one do not wish to enter the job market yet. Or it could be the only option left, especially for those imbecile who'd rather imbibe in plenty of college politics and activities than to graduate with flying colors.

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Being a graduate doesn't mean that particular person is smart, as evident in the case of Mr Perry (and a lot of Malaysian politicians as well). And sometimes we see politicians acting "know-it-all"... that's just sickening. They are unaware that their thoroughly schemed arguments are just a laughing-stock for some of the people whom they govern, and could well be more mentally competent.

Graduated, yes. But are they good enough?


Malcolm

info: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/perry-explains-his-poor-performance-in-college/?partner=rss&emc=rss