We Like Mike
Michael Bloomberg has apparently concluded that none of the folks currently running for the presidency is capable of beating Mr. Trump in 2020. He may be right.
I’ll start by saying that I have some disagreements with Mike. I firmly believe it is the inalienable right of every American to guzzle Big Gulps, which are as American as apple pie. I also believe his gun control campaign is misdirected. We should be more concerned with trigger finger control. However, elections are not about finding perfect ideological congruence; they are about selecting the best of the candidates on offer. The only way you can get a perfect ideological fit is to run yourself.
Election campaigns should be extended job interviews, whereby voters get a chance to compare the candidates’ qualifications to the requirements of the job. When voting for a legislator, the qualifications are voting record (past and/or prospective), ability to master parliamentary process, ability to get along with other legislators and nose counting instinct. You want somebody who can successfully legislate, who can get to a useful compromise that will glean a majority of votes.
Executive positions require a completely different skill set. You should be looking for somebody who has a record of executive accomplishment. Has he/she demonstrated an ability to run an organization? Presidents have 2.1 million bureaucrats, 1.3 million service personnel and thousands of contractor relationships to manage. That’s in addition to being the world’s police chief.
None of the people currently running display the appropriate qualifications. Mayor Pete ran a small city. Uncle Bernie ran a small town (his only real job . . . ever). Sleepy Joe attended state funerals for eight years and applauded Obama’s efforts. The remainder are all legislators, with no relevant executive experience. Mike founded and grew an international behemoth of an organization and held down one of the most complex political jobs on earth for three terms (the last of which he spent a fortune to buy). Deval Patrick had two successful terms as governor of a small state, but coming in this late means he will have trouble raising enough money to compete. That will not be Mike’s problem.
Mike is the perfect guy to run against Trump. He is a real billionaire instead of a fake billionaire. He can credibly mock Trump’s pretension of negotiating talent. He can mobilize tech support to match the Republicans’ current lead in that sphere. If Mike wins, we could actually have a qualified leader. We may have to put up with a bit of nannying, but the rest will be a big step up. He’s the most qualified candidate on offer.
My parting suggestion is for Mike. When he calls you “Little Mike”, I’d respond by referring to him as Shyster Don and tub-o-guts (a great insult from a Marlon Brando western).
