As a continuation from last week’s issue, we asked a group of Hilltop Views writers who they would like to see run as a potential candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Here was one student’s response:

The United States federal government is, essentially, a business, and it should  be run as such. That is why I would nominate none other than Bill Gates, arguably America’s best businessman, for the 2012 presidential election.

We need a candidate that can put our nation’s finances back in the black, and since Microsoft is one of the world’s biggest companies, Bill Gates has proven that he has the skill to do just that.

Why Gates? First and foremost, he is very wealthy and could pay for his entire campaign out of pocket without bowing down to large corporations for funding. By funding his own campaign, Gates would not be obligated to meet the interests of any political interest groups or corporations, but would instead be free to do what is best for the public good.  

Gates is also a philanthropist, as evidenced by his formation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This shows that he is concerned with more than his own company and well-being and that he is socially conscious and responsible. Gates has the experience to handle the financial and political responsibilities of running a country while attempting to tackle some of the country’s more pressing social issues.

America needs a strong leader, something Gates knows a thing or two about. With over 30 years of leadership experience as head of Microsoft, an extremely well-run and profitable business, he clearly has leadership skills that could be easily applied to running a successful federal government.     

If you are a little skeptical about my choice, I completely understand. Just because Gates heads a corporation doesn’t mean he can just step off the street and be a qualified president. I would be just as hesitant to see a traditional politician run Microsoft.

In any case, Bill Gates will never run for president. He currently earns a much larger salary than the president and, as a businessman, has no incentive to run for election. Even though Gates is an unrealistic candidate, I hope that someone just as business-minded as him will run this country after the 2012 race.