Is experience a must?

Is experience a must for someone who wants to be president? For my money, experience is highly overrated.

Look at some of our most celebrated presidents. Abraham Lincoln, widely considered to be one of our best presidents, was a state legislator and someone who served one or two terms in Congress before being elected to the White House. Yet all he did was help guide us through the Civil War and help reunify our nation. Franklin Roosevelt was governor of New York, but he had no federal experience when he was elected to the White House. Yet, he helped guide us through the Great Depression and World War II. He is widely considered to be the greatest president of the past century.

The problem with "experience" is that it helps limit your view. You get used to the way things work in Washington, and are less able to see or accept new approaches or ideas.

Of course, there is a steep learning curve for anyone who wins the presidency. But if you're reasonably intelligent and willing to listen to more experienced people, you can learn the things you need to know to be successful. And truthfully, right now, I think our nation needs a change of direction in the worst way. I don't want someone in the White House who is going to maintain the status quo. I want someone who is willing to take our country in the new direction that it so desperately needs.