This Is Why a Candidate Needs a Coherent Governing Philosophy

[Valin]

National Review/The Corner:

Jim Geraghty

August 26, 2016

 

Below, Rich points out, “Trump’s “very good chance” answer–as well as most of that has been said over the last few days–suggests that he has multiple people with different views on the merits and the politics of this issue in his ear and he simply can’t decide where to come down.” In the last Morning Jolt of the week, some discussion of why picking a presidential candidate from “outside politics” almost always means picking someone who hasn’t found a governing philosophy yet.

 

The job of governing is going to throw a dozen different problems at a leader every day. Those problems will have a lot of possible solutions, each with strengths and drawbacks – and every course of action will irk, irritate and alienate some portion of the governed. To sort through it all, it’s best if a leader has clear, well-known, well-established principles and a thought-out philosophy.

 

This is not esoteric or fancy-pants poli-sci egghead mumbo-jumbo. Ultimately, a lot of a leader’s decisions come down to what do you prioritize? What value is most important to you, and which ones are less important? A leader who prioritizes freedom above all other values is going to make different decisions than one who leader who prioritizes order. Americans want a lot of things simultaneously: safety, freedom, prosperity, stability, fairness, opportunity.

 

These values aren’t always going to be in direct conflict, but they often come in indirect conflict. When it comes to drugs, should the priority be public order or people’s freedom to do what they want? At some point does prosecution and incarceration of drug crimes become a disorderly force by itself? When it comes to stopping terrorism, should the NSA have broad powers, including domestic surveillance? Or does that power infringe upon Americans’ freedoms? When it comes to cops, who watches the watchmen? If we want everyone to have good health care, should the government make them purchase health insurance, and fine them if they don’t? How you answer those questions will be heavily influenced by what you prioritize and value most.

 

(Snip)

 

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Donald Trumps Governing Philosophy