Ethan Mitzen - Game Change Reflection

3. Does a POTUS or VPOTUS need to be highly knowledgeable about all issues associated with their offices or should they rely on the staffs to provide information to answer questions?

A POTUS or VPOTUS does not need to be highly knowledgeable in ALL areas, but they should be fairly knowledgeable in all areas and highly knowledgeable in several key areas, such as economics and international relations. For example, a POTUS or VPOTUS should have a basic idea of how health insurance works, but they do not need to be an expert in healthcare policy since advisors can fill the gaps of their knowledge. However, more pressing and immediate issues such as international relations require a higher amount of knowledge. If a POTUS is meeting with a world leader, they should have a pretty good understanding of how their actions will be viewed by that country and by other countries. Advisors can help with this knowledge, but without a solid basis of knowledge there is too large a possibility for unforced errors with immense consequences.

5. Do you think that governors of certain states are more “qualified” or “knowledgeable” about national politics and foreign policy than others? For example, does Sarah Palin’s career as governor of Alaska make her too far removed from the epicenter of national political activity to be taken seriously?

Yes, I think that governors (and other state/local level officials) are more qualified/knowledgeable about national politics/foreign policy than others. The mayor of South Bend or the governor of Kansas have less experience with the way that the majority of the population is. Governors of states with more urban centers (such as California, Illinois, Texas, and Pennsylvania) are more knowledgeable in national policy than governors of states with less urban centers (such as Missouri, Arkansas, Alaska, and Wyoming) because their constituents more closely represent that of the nation as a whole. As far as foreign policy, large industry centers (such as California) have more experience than agricultural states (such as Idaho) because officials from those states have more experience with trade policy. Border states (such as Texas, New York, and Minnesota) give their officials more experience with foreign policy than non-border states (such as Kansas, Tennessee, and Utah) because they feel the effects of other nation’s policies more. While officials from isolated states have less experience, they are not necessarily too far to be taken seriously. For example, Bernie Sanders is from a fairly irrelevant state but he is very knowledgeable in health and tax policy, among other areas. Contrarily, Bruce Rauner is the governor of Illinois, a relevant state, but he is not knowledgeable in any subject areas and therefore is irrelevant.