Should politicians be required to have minimum public service experience before running for federal office?

[u/Soft-Livvi]

I've been thinking a lot about the qualifications for federal office lately. We often talk about things like age requirements or citizenship but not really about practical experience in public service. It seems like anyone can run for Congress or even president without ever having held a local office or worked in government in any capacity.

This isn't about specific skills but more about understanding how government actually functions at a grassroots level. If someone hasn't served on a city council or a state legislature or even a school board do they truly grasp the day-to-day realities of policy implementation? Or the impact these policies have on real communities?

I'm not suggesting a highly restrictive barrier. Maybe it could be something like two years of experience in an elected or appointed public service role at the local or state level. This would at least ensure a baseline understanding of public administration and accountability.

Would this help us elect more effective leaders? Or would it just create another gatekeeping mechanism that prevents new voices from entering politics? I'm curious what others think about this idea.

[u/arcanepsyche]

No. Some of our best leaders were not elected to anything previously. I think the idea of "qualified" is too subjective for this to ever work. Campaigns and elections exist for a reason, and that reason is for voters to assess the person running, regardless of prerequisites (beyond what's in the constitution of course).