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I started to write a response to this in the comments - but I obviously want on too long, and got cut off … so I am making a post, and will make it as long as I want!
“This creates a quandary for politicians who score high in intellectual humility, as they may appear indecisive to others. After all, they’ll tend to weigh evidence carefully and take longer to reach a decision than a leader who just “goes with his gut.”
… leaders that go with their guts … be they male or female … are destined to fail …. that said, I feel that two things are being conflated here. Facts and opinions.
Fact … the number of people on the DC Mall on January 20th 2017 was less than in January 20th 2009.
Opinions … no need to highlight any - there are plenty around … but they need to be understood in context, in a moment, you need facts - many of them, from many different valid sources and yes … feelings and beliefs (that are likely personal) to form a considered opinion - and almost certainly that opinion will change as the person engages in dialogue, times move, more facts come in, beliefs change etc etc
The problem is that opinion and facts are not distinguished and most often combined and confused.
I’ve stopped even trying to dialogue with people who deny established facts. I’ve stopped watching programming that introduces ‘the other side’s’ opinions - when the basis of those opinions are biased and totally non supportable - life is too short.
If someone wants to have a free, frank, open discusison about anything - I’m all ears. But don’t try to drown me out with stuff you believe but is demonstrably false, that you won’t listen to it because there is some Deep State conspiracy, or the ‘liberal’ media are hiding the truth, or only a few enlightened people know this ….
Give Me A Break. It’s bad enough that ordinary people think this. When it comes to world leadership spewing this shit - one is given to pause.
As for
“In an era where a premium is placed on party loyalty and taking a hardball approach to dealing with the opposition, this may be come across as weakness.”
COUGH
I think we are talking about one party here … because it is clear that the Democats are not focussed on party loyalty. Which is why we have a series of really good Senators running for the Democratic nomination. Most (maybe all) of them will not win. Meanwhile, they could be helping the Democrats win back the Senate. Instead they are putting themselves and their personal publicity ahead of party and arguably country.
Don’t believe me? Watch a Democratic President take over in a couple of years with a Republican Senate controlled by McConnell and find out how that goes.
Even better - ask Obama how that went for him!
BTW - I’m not the only person who thinks this.
Bottom line … as a resident of the US for nearly 30 years - but not an American citizen … gently withdrawing from this country that everyone;
- Used to be proud of.
- Used to see as a beacon to guide us all
- Used to be a country that we wanted to come to
As it falls into the danger of obscurity, brought down by a single vain liar who hopes by saying ‘no’ enough means that everybody will eventually agree with him. The really sad thing … read the headlines … its working for him - because nobody is standing up to him.
I mean if American’s can’t see what is going on …. why should I care?