The Gordian Knot, 2008

Although I'm utterly unimpressed with everyone running for President this year, I'm still grateful that we have people willing to stand for election to the most thankless job in the world. If America gets blamed for everything that goes wrong in the world, the President - as the most recognizable American - is the one who gets burned in effigy and insulted in the UN by ludicrous buffoons like Hugo Chavez. You have to wonder why anyone would want the job, other than to live rent-free in the White House and throw out the first pitch of the baseball season. In one of Tom Clancy's novels, an advisor reminds accidental President Jack Ryan that, no matter what he does, 20% of the people will love him and 20% will hate him...his job is to connect with the 60% of the people who haven't made up their minds.

Today's e-mail from The Curmudgeon Online contained a quote from Lawrence Peter (articulator of the Peter Principle) that seems appropriate in this context:

"Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed just to be undecided about them."

Boy, ain't that the truth?

No matter what you do as President, you're goring someone's political, social, economic, or religious ox. Support gay rights and you alienate the religious right. Support gun control and you alienate the NRA, for whom there's only one issue in the world worth discussing. In favor of health care reform? - the AMA, the trial lawyers, and patient rights advocates all know how to solve the problem, and none of them agree. Financial catastrophe? - the Fed, the financial services industry, the banks can all rally reinforced battalions of lawyers to fight whatever you try to do to fix it. Everyone in the Middle East hates everyone else? - You are said to be the only person who can bring all sides together, but nobody takes you seriously because they think the other side has you in its pocket. About the only thing no one will criticize is how you go to the bathroom...and if that issue ever comes up, surely the New York Times and Washington Post will run front-page-above-the-fold articles claiming (on the basis of information from confidential sources) that you can't hit the urinal without assistance.

When you're the President, everyone expects you to untie the Gordian Knot into which all the world's problems are bound. Unfortunately, Alexander's solution won't work for you, because Congress decides whether or not to pay for your sword, the Supreme Court ultimately decides whether you're allowed to draw it, and the rest of the world will criticize you for wielding it.

I wouldn't want the job, but I'm glad there are people who do.

Even if I don't like any of this year's choices.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo