President of the United States Wanted

Do you ever sit back and think about what a job description for the leader of the free world, the highest position in the land, should entail?

I sometimes do.

It requires thinking about this country in an extensive picture, something I neither possess the capacity nor knowledge to really do. National security, foreign policy, economics, labor, regulations, the armed forces, ACF, AoA, AHRQ, USAID, USDA, ATF, BLM, CDC, CIA, CMS, USCIS, DoC, CBO, CPSC, CBP, DARPA, DIA, DoE, HHS, DHS, HUD, DoJ, DoL, DoS, DOT, VA, VHA, DOI, IRS, DEA, BEA, EPA, FHEO, FAA, FBI, FCC, FDIC, FEMA, FTC, FTA, FWS, FDA, GAO, GSA, USGS, ITA, LOC, MARAD, USPS, NASA, NCI, NCD, NIMH, NIST, NSA, NOAA, NRC, OSHA, SEC, OPM, SBA, SSA, TSA, CENTCOM, CFTC, DOC, etc.

At a fundamental level, I like to start thinking about our judicial and bicameral legislative branch, and the general shenaniganery therein, filibustering included.

Then I consider the 324,097,027 people living in these magnificent 50 states, almost all illegally, according to the Native Americans.

What do the people need? What are some critical issues? What are some basic needs? Would basic income ever work? What is the unemployment rate? What is the current state of affairs? Will we have a student loan crisis? Will we have another mortgage or banking crisis? What is the crime rate? When will the next oil spill happen? Where will the next shooting be? When and where will the next national emergency be? Where will the next terrorist attack hit? Do we need a larger black budget? Should we sacrifice our privacy in exchange for better intelligence + security?

What are the greatest disparities? What causes said disparities? How can we control healthcare spending? What systemic burdens were relieved by Obamacare? Was the legislative intent accurate? How sustainable is the SSA? Can we fund universal education?

How will we catalyze innovation and improve transparency and efficiency?

Then I digress some more. I start to think about our founding fathers and the original colonies and Native Americans. I think about some of our wars and veterans. I think about our neighbors to the north and south, and about our borders.

Then I think about the 194 other independent states and the diplomatic relations we have with 191 of. I start to worry a little about the countries with which we do not have diplomatic relations. North Korea. Iran. Bhutan.

I think of our GNP and our GDP and all of our trade partners and our trade deficit. My mind wanders to Nixon’s visit to China. I think of manufacturing and outsourcing. I think about terrorism and arms trades as well as sex trades and drug trades. I think about energy dependencies and OPEC nations.

At some point, I get bored and decide I’m minimally informed.

Subsequent to this level of clarity, I decide that our leader should have phenomenal EQ, a high level of cultural sensitivity, tact, and boat loads of logic.

I realize that given the scope of what happens in the world from intelligence to trade, there is no person well-versed in all areas so I figure our leader should possess immense humility, resourcefully drawing upon our nation’s greatest talents to advise on each of these areas.

Patience is a given, as well as empathy, and most importantly self-awareness.

Policy experience seems useful.

An educational equivalent to a JD MPA MBA with a strong understanding of economics would be preferred (and currently, knowledge on negative interest rate policies), but not required.

Certainly a highly competent polyglot negotiator and mediator with phenomenal analytical and leadership skills, with unparalleled prowess in making decisions under extreme duress.

Judgment? I’ll get back to you on that after I finish watching this cricket match.

Someone generally with a track record that supersedes any rhetoric appeasing the voting populace.

Anyway, shouldn’t this be our process to clarity as we scrutinize, before we begin to toss about allegations and defenses, mindless quotes and rhetoric, unfounded opinion, or who is the greater socialist or fiscal conservative?

Do we not have a patriotic duty to ourselves and our nation to progress?