At present, neither major political party in our nation represents the interests of the Producers. The Democrats have been fully absorbed by the socialist Left who see government as the source of all value, regardless of the fact that human rights inhere in individuals, and not groups, and that value is created by creative effort, not by its forcible redistribution.
The Republicans, for their part have largely abandoned principle in exchange for the right to champion half measures: they will protect your right to half of what you deserve in exchange for all of your support. They will keep the thieves at bay, for a while, anyway, as long as you agree to pay them the same tribute as those would take it all. Both parties wish you to believe they are your friend; one group steals and offers you a false comfort in return; the other restrains the thieves from doing their worst and asks you to be thankful for their intervention, by which they profit nonetheless.
I, myself, await a more compelling choice.
As to your categorical qualifications for executive office, you offer some valuable considerations.
People skills: I agree that it is vital for a leader of free people to know and respect their human nature and motivations. Among our politicians, honesty in this regard is rare, for it means admitting that one's own needs and those of one's constituents do sometimes conflict. In those instances, the requirements of one's representative citizens must prevail.
Political skills: building coalitions based upon compromise is important to one's continuation in office, but it is undermined by a failure to respect the fundamental rights of all. Most politicians eagerly sell the rights of some in exchange for the support of others. Our Constitution, relentlessly enforced, is what might constrain the very human impulse to desire that which one has not earned by honest effort and free exchange of value.
Communication skills: what matters most on this respect is content and not verbal facility; many people are willing to be tricked and lied to for short-term advantage. But effectively appeal to "the better angels of our nature" and many who would otherwise be seduced will pause long enough to consider what others might do to them, if similarly propositioned at the expense of their virtue.
Superior temperament and leadership ability: nothing is more rare in political life, for it is informed not by temporal pleasure but by honesty, honor, decency and faith. We get the leaders we deserve. As John Adams noted, our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people and added further:
"The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure than they have it now, They may change their Rulers and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty. They will only exchange Tyrants and Tyrannies.
I was blessed with an incredible history teacher in college many, many, many years ago...he described the split as Country vs Court, and it's been a theme in American History since before the Revolutionary War.
So I guess what we're seeing is nothing new.
The Republicans, for their part have largely abandoned principle in exchange for the right to champion half measures: they will protect your right to half of what you deserve in exchange for all of your support...
Very well said. I think there's no point in putting Repubs back in power, if we get the same Repub result as from 2001 on.
I'm hopeful the Tea Party movement can take over the Repub Party. If not, I'd be willing to look at a third party...as long as having political tin ears is not a platform plank.
I'm resigned to the notion that we've been headed to where we are for a long time, and it's not a political season's worth of work to get us back to where we want to be.
There's a local (Seattle area) radio personality named John Carlson who was a Gov. candidate a few years ago. He says that in politics (this was several years ago) it's no longer left vs right, but inside vs outside.