In this article, the author insists that those seeking public office prove their literary mettle. As an English teacher, he does have a litmus test for all public officials, judges and senators included--a reading litmus test. He would require that all candidates and nominees have read and reflected on a nucleus of works whose ideas and insights are absolutely essential for enlightened citizenship and certainly for public office. Works on his list are George Orwell's essay "Politics and the English Language," James Baldwin's autobiographical essay "Notes of a Native Son," and Paul Gallico's essay "The Feel."