The Declining Quality of American Leaders

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Sources:

The Lost Soul of the American Presidency - Stephen Knott
Notes on Debates in the Federal Convention - James Madison ed. Adrienne Koch
The Federalist - Hamilton, Madison, Jay Ed. Jacob Cooke
The President Who Would Not Be King - Michael McConnell
Washington - Ron Chernow
Why Presidents Fail - Elaine Kamarck
Primary Politics - Elaine Kamarck
The Hardest Job in the World - John Dickerson
The Impossible Presidency - Jeremi Suri
Deadlock and Disillusionment - Gary Reichard

[realryanchapman]

I want to start with a big thanks, as usual, to everyone who thanks and supports my work.

Watching this back a bit later, there's one concept I wish I brought up in this video. The salary of presidents is not very high (around $400, 000) considering the importance of the job. It may seem like a lot of money to the rest of us, but if you're really the best and brightest of your generation, you could make far more money elsewhere. Why risk your career going for the job of president if it pays so much less than top-tier American jobs elsewhere? It's just one more deterrent in a long list of deterrents already laid out here. Of course you can make a lot of money by being president, or even running for president, but through means that are typically seen by the public as unsavory, which further hurts the relationship between the institution of the presidency and the public.

So what type of person would go for this job in the state that it's in?

Something to think about.

It seems the only other thing to address here is concept of money in politics more generally, and the people who think that the problem can be boiled down to the influence of big money over politicians. I think it's safe to say there's a case for that, to some extent, but some presidents rely on that kind of money and are more prone to that kind of influence than others. Some presidents really do have principles, morals and goals that they sincerely try to stick to throughout their tenure. Many even see themselves, and try to be leaders, who can represent the interests of Americans in a more pure fashion than, say, congressional representatives, who have big money more inherently tied into their work. The more you study individual presidents, the more obvious that is. So if you want to make the case that presidents are corrupted by money in politics, I think you have to make that on a more case-by-case basis, while this video tried to cover problems in a more generalizable fashion.

- Ryan

[yg]

It seems the "best" people in America don't want to get into politics, while the less qualified people make a living (even get rich) in politics.

[amirmohamadaz]

I think a universal problem has always been that those who actually can and should do politics, either don't want to do it, or are not given the chance.

[jamesricker]

It started in 1975 when the supreme court let corporate money into politics.
It has been all downhill from there

[centurionzen]

"This country will not permanently be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in."- Theodore "Teddy" roosevelt

[bobbyrobmaxey]

Unfortunately the skill set it takes to get elected is completely different than the one it takes to govern effectively

[bobnolin]

The Founders did not see the rise of the Corporation and the Oligarchy. The major holders of power in this country are players not accounted for in the Constitution.

[RainH]

We should not forget about American media as well. They're part of the problem too.

[hydroac]

I was a small town mayor (population ~12, 000) from 2013 to 2021 in a collar county in greater Chicagoland. I was a full time scientist that worked for a Fortune 500 engineering firm and a part time mayor. I was paid about ~$2500/year to serve as mayor, so it was a very minor part of my total compensation. It was a whole lot of work and I tried to be a good mayor, and voluntarily stepped down from my position after I had achieved all of my primary goals.

I found that most people were happy with the village government - except for a handful of loud troublemakers that I could count on one hand, some of whom served with me as elected members of the board. In the end I served and took direction from the vast majority of those that were happy. I listened to but was not obligated to obey the few troublemakers.

With a few exceptions, I have great respect for anyone who aspires to political office. It is a noble calling. And it is a hard job if you do it correctly.

[RicochetMayhem]

Dude uploaded 1 day before the most embarrasing presidental debate in US history.

[zzerxes]

Remember how everyone in high school used to vote for Student Council President and we all pretended the person would make a difference, but really we knew the Principal and Staff were still in charge?
That’s what American politics is like.
We know the figurehead doesn’t matter, when the establishment around him stays the same.

[biglimes]

I absolutely love this channel. Just a sober, thorough, non-hysterical, literate take on events and historical topics. I'm telling all of my late night YT surfers about it.

[TheMalayLinguist]

The best of us are the too silent. Meanwhile the lousiest are the loudest.

[JeredtheShy]

Our leadership problem is too much focus on the Presidency, as if we are trying to elect a king of some sort, and very little focus on the politics happening in your backyard, where the results are. A significant part of the job is yours, to know, and to vote, to involve yourself somehow, to do a little campaigning of your own for what matters to you, and doing that job brings relief from the feeling of impotence that plagues so many of us. It's worth it, even if you don't ultimately get your way. Something to consider.

[TJWinter]

Just as we have a separation of church and state, it is IMPERATIVE that we have a separation of MONEY AND POLITICS. Corruption weakens a nation, ultimately leading to revolution or civil war.

[nostalgia_junkie]

we lamenting the status of social cohesion wit this one 🗣

[anthonyewolf]

I have students who say they are more okay with a dictatorship from the right to restore the traditional household; and other students who -- while not saying it explicitly -- seem to expect that their colleagues from that camp will just quietly disappear while they campaign and shame their way through the march of progress.

This video clarifies a lot of this divide and it makes me appreciate the research you put into these videos.

[KpGD]

When I was still in Highschool, I was given a chance to talk to a state representative about a possible path towards being a politician, we had an excellent discussion about my philanthropic and selfless views to better my community and possibly the country at large. The discussion ended with "unfortunately your positivity to encourage benefiting change for all Americans would get you shot, you probably will live longer as a school janitor, " so I choose a different path in life.

There was no offense given to that statement, he believed that I would make a great politician for the people, but that era no longer exists in our timeline and I'd make for a good target for those that don't agree with my world view.

Frankly, I'm glad I never became a politician, and currently doing maintenance for my local hospital, I am fulfilling my duty to serve my community in another form. Been happy doing so.

[aletheiai]

What competent person would seek exhausting, vilified impotence?

[xchazz]

When the system is so corrupt and toxic the lead roles only attracts the worst of the worst.
These are not leaders only petty predators, opportunists, puppets and con artists.