The Goodness of Former QBs as America's next political leaders.

An America with Joe Montana as "back-up" would be doing much better.

By Mark Stewart – facilitator.

There is no better "proving ground" for the leadership and high pressures of a U.S. President than one's highly competitive, highly-scrutinized, and highly-pressured years as an NFL quarterback. At even the college level, quarterbacks are cerebral, highly-disciplined, fast-thinking leaders of men.

They have to memorize an intricate playbook, call for or follow scripted plays, and a mere 40 seconds after being thrown to the turf by a fearsome opponent, make split-second decisions based on the athleticism, exhaustion, and ferocity of 21 other men on the field, at least four of whom are rushing in to knock him silly.

The NFL Proving Ground

At the NFL level, quarterbacks face the further pressures of fans, the play-by play announcement of their mistakes, and the withering post-game reports of media. (Literally, no other professionals go a full week with their last-week's record of good and bad work on display for colleagues, management, and press.)

The American electorate once used army leadership as fitting for Presidential leadership. Better than any past colonel or general, a former NFL quarterback has dozens of colleagues to attest to his leadership, millions of fans to attest to his exploits, video to show his talents under pressure, and statistics to attest to his success.

Historical Precedent

Senator Tommy Tuberville is a former College football coach. Congressman, HUD Secretary, and Vice Presidential nominee Jack Kemp was the Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback for seven years.

Addressing the "Buts"

"But no former NFL player is currently in a marquee elected office."

That's a GOOD thing. They are still real citizens, uncorrupted by politics, and un-swayed by the demands of political bosses, media, and donors. Current office holders are not doing America much good now.

"But they don't show thoughtfulness about politics"

That's because their media training and their decorum keep them on the political sidelines. As for thoughtfulness about politics…America is at the stage where politics (meaning compromises that placate bureaucrats and highly-positioned party-people) deserve to be steamrolled in the name of good POLICY.

"But they are not steeped in a political party's principles"

Errr. Our political parties today have no well-adhered-to set of principles. The Republican Party has been splitting apart for decades; the Democratic Party has a wide set of principles.

The Libertarian Solution

There is one party that any thoughtful newcomer can run with and be in synch with their principles: the Libertarian party, America's third largest, is governed by candidates who take a single pledge: not to initiate force against unwilling innocents.

So, it's time to provide a platform to the thoughtful former players who have an impulse to serve others.

Beyond Quarterbacks

Yes, it can and should stem beyond QBs. Former players who've anchored NFL defenses have shown us incredible responsibility, alertness, fitness, tenacity, leadership, and camaraderie. Those who have reached the top tier at any starting position in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, or MLS, a mere 3200 Americans out of 330,000,000 in a given year (less than 1 in 100,000), are elite performers who are as masterful at their work as almost any other American.

The 1985 Super Bowl Solution

Back up 40 years from Inauguration day Jan 20, 2025...

The Jan 20, 1985 Super Bowl featured two now-conservative QBs: Dan Marino vs. Joe Montana

Complement them as P and VP with Chiefs of Staff and "Kitchen cabinet" of Tony Dungy, Herman Edwards, Brett Favre, Magic Johnson, Mike Krzyzewski, and David Robinson. Domestically, we're in good hands.

Give the American electorate Dan Marino with a backup of Joe Montana and a host of proven past leaders.

ESPECIALLY for the Libertarian Party, with the most American of principles, enlisting some recognizable "heroes" to carry the principles to the minds of American voters will improve the world, literally.