Leadership

There’s something of the hopeless, unrealistic ideologue in you, Lee.The president is sort of obligated to take the best advice he can get – not just from the generals, but from the doctors and physicists and economists and host of other folks who have valuable experience in situ and know what they’re talking about.Leadership is a quality I think Obama possesses in certain solid facets of his character and manner, and which is restrained by certain recognizable brakes: His natural skill as a mediator (as opposed to a dictator), and an almost preternatural patience tied to a desire to have the best information before committing to a course of action.On the infinite list of legitimate criticisms that might be leveled at GW Bush, his penchant for exhibiting “leadership” in the absence of advice from anyone who didn’t toe that hegemonic neocon line is certainly near the top.I guess I fundamentally agree that Obama needs to set the destination and give the orders, but there’s a pragmatic reality about sailing the seas to get there, and all the leadership in the world is no defense against hurricanes or the doldrums.

Again – I’m working out my thoughts on this and planning a video or two, but I couldn’t disagree more that there’s anything unrealistic about what I’m thinking.Here’s an example – gays in the military. It’s not ideological to want to end the ban. It’s VERY practical and just as important – the time is right, right now. People see how stupid the ban is in LARGE numbers and particularly among young people.If Obama stopped the firings by Executive Order, he’d have no problems making the case – except to the 20% of crazies who ARE ideological.

It’s easy enough to point to any single issue (and, of course, particularly that one) and say, “OK, this one is clear and easy. Just do it.” And you’re right.Then there’s the flaming insanity of the recoil and response – the bogging down of so much else that also needs to be done right now (although perhaps lacking the solid punch of perfect moral correctness) – mucking up the wheels on a course that does not provide extra gas, fresh tires or pit stops and offers little enough margin for error.A perfectly reasonable desire manage priorities rather than send the country into some fascistic moral panic over teh ghey, wasting countless person hours and effort for having thrown gas on a fire that would have quietly burned out for lack of oxygen if left alone for another six months or a year.For all the correctness of the move, there is a price to be paid for making it. Perhaps it can be achieved more smoothly at lower cost if done with some style and grace…some savior fare…some je ne sais quais.I think your vid was genius, and it sucks that this gay translator is not being utilzed (altho perhaps no more or less than all the other fine Americans in service who fell victim to DADT).Still, the man has four years to achieve a list of goals. You seem to want to say, “OK, you got the reigns, now do it all and do it now.”I’m only suggesting that hitting most of these targets is a process that must be measured in steps, not leaps.On a sort of related note, I suspect you suck at poker.

Lee, I guess I’m an “unrealistic ideologue,” you know with all my blathering about the Constitution and what not.I couldn’t agree more that our President needs to lead the Military Industrial Complex INSTEAD of the other way round.

@ NorCalLet’s not make this into a Who’s Leading Whom bit of silliness.I don’t think anyone is leading Barack Obama around (except perhaps Rahm, and then only occasionally, but that’s ok…Michelle needs a break here and there…)There are two wars ongoing. Taking the advice of Generals (and Colonels) goes a long way to crafting a pragmatic (there’s that word again) strategy that most increases your odds of winning the pot…all pots, any pot. And going home with more money is the whole idea.Sometimes you check, sometimes you raise, sometimes you go all in, sometimes you fold and wait for the next deal. Those can all be good decisions or bad decisions – making the right decision at the right time is how you win more pots than you lose.And at the end of this game, I have no doubt we will have taken the gays in the military pot, and a bunch of other ones as well. If played well, the other guy is gonna have to think seriously about giving up cards altogether. But make no mistake about this: Going ALL IN on every pot because Lee Stranahan or anyone else sees a moral imperative has only one outcome – you walkin’ home broke.Sometimes you have a pocket pair of moral imperative, but the other guy is flops the nuts into a full boat of indignant outrage based on fear. You have to know when, not just why.Suggesting the Obama is failing to demonstrate leadership is a bit premature, don’t you think?

It’s Saturday night in Taiwan and I’m drinking and smoking.I am far more pissed about the grammar and spelling than any of you, especially the French bits (which should be quoted with an Acadian accent)./savoir faire

Saturday afternoon over there. WTF? I can’t get a cogent rebuttal faster than this? You out mowing the lawn or something Memorial Day springy?Means and ends, gentlemen. Means and ends.

Let me get away from the poker table a moment and attempt another elucidating (I hope) analogy:The lion has no natural enemies. The jackal, the hyena, the cape buffalo…generally speaking, they will all make way for the lion. The lion pretty much gets to say what’s what, within reason and wide margins.So long as the lion doesn’t pick too many fights at the same time.Hyenas nipping at your heels, jackals watching your eyes, cape buffalo in formation and a croc infested line of retreat is no way to go about demonstrating the awesome, righteous power that is a lion.Having the power is only half the fight. Using it wisely – judiciously, effectively, with timing and proportion – is absolutely key to ensuring that the rest of the critters continue to hold the proper degree of respect and, therefore, deference.Overplay one hand, everyone starts raising (and so back to the poker table)./jungle out there//ask Pelosi…busted rock meet all in hard place.

I’m not pleased with everything he has done (or hasn’t in some cases), but I have an understanding of what he’s dealing with. I’ve mentioned before that I decided to retire before my next promotion board because I couldn’t stomach the thought of dealing with the bureaucracy another 5 years. I tried my damnedest to always do what was right and protect my Sailors where I could. But, and it’s a big but, you have to pick your fights carefully and spend your resources wisely. If you don’t you’ll simply lose all your fights and, hence, the ability to accomplish anything.

Sure he can change things via executive order. But the negative effects of doing it that way are likely to outweigh the short-term positives.

@ cousinaviThanks for trying to edumacate me a little. Just so you know, Gays in the Military isn’t something I give much thought to in case you might think that’s why I was defending Lee’s column.You don’t need to be a good poker player or even a good liar (is there a difference?) to be able to understand when this President is taking advantage of the unitary executive b.s. that Bush and Cheney carved out.If we let Democrats and Obama try on these new powers and decide they like them enough to keep them, then we’re up shit creek without a paddle.I say NO! to expanded executive power. Pragmatism has a degree of flexibilty we cannot afford when dealing with Constitutional issues. You may think it’s smart and the way to go, but I respectfully disagree.

Obama was clear in his campaign speeches: make me. So far nobody is making him.We the People, in order to form a more perfect union… blogging isn’t going to form a more perfect union. MoveOn? Nope – close but no cigar. HuffPo? Ack.It’s We The People. It’s really simple. We need to get our hands on the phone and call our local and national reps. People are sitting back because they’re fatigued by merely thinking about the huge amount of work that needs to be done by We the People.So far, the only real leadership I’ve seen is Michelle Obama planting a garden – that’s something everyone can do. But as long as Bob and Lee remain stuck within the system, no amount of blogging will do one damned bit of good.

@ NorCalIf we let Democrats and Obama try on these new powers and decide they like them enough to keep them, then we’re up shit creek without a paddle.Agreed. Flip side is the magnitude of immediate change and the fallout that ensues, by operational necessity, from massive course corrections.I don’t think we have any issue on outcomes. We are debating means and length of stride.I like drama – slash and burn – as much as the next guy (for sheer spectacle it can’t be beat). I just want to go home, at the end of the day, with all the money. IMO, baby steps takes more pots and protects a sizable and valuable stack.

“But all of the recent disappointments seem to spring from a common source; he’s giving in to the military-industrial complex. He’s listening to the Generals. He needs to lead them.”You’re ruling out the possiblity that he could be listening to them, and leading them at the same time, even though the result of this collarboration “disappoints” you. This would mean he’s doing both things right, listening to the best available advice and leading too. Hell, that would be really terrible; doing what he thinks is right based on all the best information, and even if it’s not particularly popular in the press.I would suggest this; instead of being disappointed, say to yourself, “If I had all the information Obama does, I’m sure I would make the same decision too.” Because that really is closer to the truth, and it saves you from being disappointed. That would be kinda pragmatic.