comment: >
  
  
  The politicians themselves need to be able to understand and operate the levers of government. 
  
  Why?
  
  When you hire a CEO, you don't just look for the best possible manager, you want someone with deep industry knowledge
  
  This is untrue. Often CEOs are hired for their executive skills without having experience in the industry.
  
  a good manager should also be able to understand the effects of decisions suggested by their advisors, and be able to demand suggestions for alternative courses of action if the effects of the original suggestions do not fall within within their broader vision.
  
  Sure, but couldn't any person who is smart and understands US (or whatever country) laws at an intermediate level do this? If not, why not?
context: /u/Square-Dragonfruit76 (OP) has awarded 1 delta(s) in this post.
  All comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.
  Please note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.
  ^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards >
  
  When you phrase it as "celebrities should run" all we know about them is that they are celebrity.  Unless you'd also say "plumbers should run" or "teachers should run" because...well....there is absolutely no connection between being a celebrity (or a plumber or a teacher) and being able to be an effective legislator.  
  So...you'd be better to say that being celebrity should not disqualify you from running, but it's not sufficient.  You yourself go on to say that they need to be smart enough to hire good advisors and listen to them.  If the plumber is also that then the only advantage the celebrity has is capacity to win the election because of recognition.  That's not a meaningful difference and we all implicitly suspect that the unknown plumber who is smart enough and can hire good advisors would lose to the celebrity who lacks those qualifications.  
  The cons are that "celebrity" creates electability in the absence of actual qualifications.  Anyone without qualifications should not be elected to office. >
  
  
  you'd be better to say that being celebrity should not disqualify you from running
  
  !Delta you're right. This is mainly in response to people who say that celebrities shouldn't run and is also showing that the negatives of electing celebrities are counteracted by positives. >
  
  Confirmed: 1 delta awarded to /u/iamintheforest (216∆).
  ^Delta System Explained ^| ^Deltaboards >
  
  
  So for military and legislative purposes, the most important thing is to simply be smart enough to hire good advisors and to listen to them. That is the most important thing a politician can do. And I believe that many people are smart enough to do that. 
  
  This isn't enough. The politicians themselves need to be able to understand and operate the levers of government. 
  When you hire a CEO, you don't just look for the best possible manager, you want someone with deep industry knowledge with the ability to form strong perspectives and opinions on the direction of the company. Otherwise, you might end up with a discordant, inefficient mess.
  Same thing with a politician. The non-public role of politicians is analogous to that of a manager and a good manager absolutely should hire competent people with knowledge and skills they lack. However, a good manager should also be able to understand the effects of decisions suggested by their advisors, and be able to demand suggestions for alternative courses of action if the effects of the original suggestions do not fall within within their broader vision.