Rumsfield Resigns 2?

[thcri]

I thought maybe it would be nice if we just added our own poll here. I tried to ad it to the existing thread but I guess you can't.

So vote here. I kept it simple

 

[Melensdad]

I'd like to see a different question asked in the poll:

• Do you think leaders should be swayed by public opinion polls?

Maybe its just me, but I don't think a real leader of men should be swayed by the whims of public opinion. Often the public has only some information and that limited amount of information can lead to bad choices. Often the public opinion is swayed by news headlines and therefore the headline of the moment may seem like a 'real' issue when really it is a minor issue. I guess I think we hire leaders to make the hard choices, and the hard choices are often (although not always) the right choices. And let's face it, if the easy way was the right way, then anyone could be a leader. Honestly I don't think most people are not capable of leading, and fewer are worthy of it, but being worthy implies morality and that is a whole different topic. . . or is it?

 

[Av8r3400]

The converse should be added too:

Do you think leaders should *not* be swayed by public opinion polls?

Thanks.

 

[California]

I don't think a real leader of men should be swayed by the whims of public opinion. Often the public has only some information and that limited amount of information can lead to bad choices. Often the public opinion is swayed by news headlines and therefore the headline of the moment may seem like a 'real' issue when really it is a minor issue.

Bob, even with all the spin that politicians throw at us these days, I think they remain subservient to the citizens who elected them. When they can't get anything right, its time to try someone else.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Abraham Lincoln" Source.
[/FONT]
Overthrow. A harsh word, but out nation began that way. It remains among our rights.

 

[OkeeDon]

...I don't think a real leader of men should be swayed by the whims of public opinion. Often the public has only some information and that limited amount of information can lead to bad choices....

Our system of representation allows our representatives to vote their own convictions when they do have information not available to the general public. The general public gets their say every 2, 4 or 6 years, depending on the office, to eliminate the representatives who get it wrong. Therefore, in a purely academic debate, I would tend to agree with you.

In this specific case, however, the first thing that stands out is the 6 recently retired generals who are speaking with one voice, so the public can hear them. They certainly have information pertinent to the situation, and it is apparently information the current administration is choosing to ignore. I beleive there are times when public opinion can be so overwhelming that it must affect our representatives' decisions. It was so in the recent debate over control of our ports, and it is becoming more obviously so in the case of this administration's leadership, especially as more and more facts become available.

Also in this case, the self-interest of the leaders is obviously contrary to the well-being of the nation, and the self-interest is overwhelmingly overriding the good judgment that should be exhibited by an administration. The public is perfectly aware of this, and is increasingly speaking out.

They should be heard, and in cases of this sort, our leaders should be guided by it.

 

[Junkman]

If anyone else wants to add any more choices, then BZ or Bob is going to need to add them. I am out of here for a weeks vacation ......... Junk......

 

[OkeeDon]

If anyone else wants to add any more choices, then BZ or Bob is going to need to add them. I am out of here for a weeks vacation ......... Junk......

Adding choices doesn't do much good when one has already voted and can't vote on the additional choices.

 

[Melensdad]

In a real sense, a leader is someone who takes command, and his job as a leader is to take the command of the situation, act with authority, and use the most complete set of information that he has, and in the absence of complete information to make a decision without that information but with whatever information he can process using his best wisdom. Further, a leader should not be afraid to make changes, but nor should he bend to popular opinion that conflicts with his best judgement or conviction.

with all the spin that politicians throw at us these days, I think they remain subservient to the citizens who elected them. When they can't get anything right, its time to try someone else.

Yes, but as we have an representative government rather than a democracy, legally our leaders are not bound by momentary whims of popularity polls.

Our system of representation allows our representatives to vote their own convictions when they do have information not available to the general public. The general public gets their say every 2, 4 or 6 years, depending on the office, to eliminate the representatives who get it wrong. Therefore, in a purely academic debate, I would tend to agree with you.

And Don in this case I was speaking in a purely academic sense. My words should not have been interpreted in any other way. In fact I was writing only in the broad sense of things.

 

[OkeeDon]

And Don in this case I was speaking in a purely academic sense. My words should not have been interpreted in any other way. In fact I was writing only in the broad sense of things.

I was sure you were, which is why I acknowledged it. Do you agree that there are exigent circimstances in which that theory must be overrridden?

 

[Melensdad]

No. At least not any that quickly come to mind. And certainly none that are in the headlines or news currently.

I tend to think that leaders need to lead. To have some issue where some segment of the public vocally opposes the leader is not a situation that creates an exigent/critical issue. Certainly if a real leader were to bend to that type of public pressue, then not only would he not be a leader, but he would betray his own convictions.

 

[thcri]

Guys, I wanted to keep it simple in the poll. I know it is tough to add and then the voters that already voted couldn't vote. But if you guys want to make a list and then add another poll go ahead, but I personally think you start to sway polls when you do that. Me even adding the 3rd item should not have bee added.

murph

 

[Junkman]

Since the last two options had no votes, I removed them..... I am swayed by public opinion........