who's in charge?

It seems the democrats do not understand -or pretend they don't understand- what the role of president is all about. And role is the right word. The presidency is an acting job. It is a job where you pretend you are in charge, while others more powerful than you make the real decisions. It is a job where you communicate those decisions and get people to accept policies that may not be in their best interest. If that is not apparent to everyone, it is because people like to be fooled.

The republicans do understand, and that is why they favor professional actors for key executive positions. People like Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Fred Thompson, etc. Democrats on the other hand think they can solve problems and so they prefer brainiacs like Al Gore, John Kerry, and now Barack Obama. People who are smart, educated, and "qualified." Unfortunately those people also have a hard time connecting to the average voter. They are not very electable. And when elected, they are often not very effective, like Jimmy Carter.

The president may be hailed as "commander-in-chief," and "leader of the free world," or the man in charge of the most powerful country on the planet, but that is all hogwash really. For one, presidents are politicians and the best politicians have very few strong feelings or ideas on how to lead the world. They are people who go with the flow and ride the wave of the voters. They also like to make sure their contributors get what they pay for.

Government is a layered structure. 90% of it is run by non-elected career people, called bureaucrats. They change very little from one administration to another. While presidents may hire chiefs to run the bureaucrats, these chiefs are only as effective as their bureaucracy-skill sets allow.

Powerful interest groups know how to get to the bureaucrats. The bureaucrats in turn know how to get things done, and you need to be on their good side to get things done. That is where the Washington-insider comes in. Washington-insiders can get things done. And if they are in high office, such as VP, then they can really get things done. (VP's do not get elected so they need not be so popular).

Then there are the various special interests. Car companies that want people to drive big cars. Oil companies that want to drill. Pharma companies that don't want you to buy drugs in Canada, farmers who want to get free water, gun-owners who are paranoid about losing their toys. The list is endless. All these people try to collect money and influence voters and politicians alike.

On top of it all some presidents add a little icing on the cake. They have some pet projects. Kennedy liked to mess with foreign politics in Asia and that is why he got us in Vietnam. Johnson wanted a civil rights legacy.  Nixon was just plain greedy. Carter wanted to change people for the better. Ronnie just wanted to be loved and admired. W is still trying to figure out who he really is.

So much for qualified. How about likable and charming? Now, who do you like best? McCain-Palin or Obama-Biden? It is your choice, America.