Happy Presidents Day

Presidents Day.  I guess just better to call it that than have an endless parade of holidays for specific Presidents that are or aren’t in favor at a particular time.  And from a worker’s perspective, always good to have any holiday.  Of course, stores don’t miss the chance to push special sales.  What is the impact on health or health care?  I guess a day off is good for people’s stress level, but a lot of people still have to work, especially in health care.  For me, on holidays I don’t feel an obligation to read some obscure piece of research and come up with a post delivering that vital information that helps people do their jobs better, or whatever purpose it serves, other than keeping me out of trouble.  Anyway, maybe a couple of musings on Presidents, just so I feel like I did something productive.

People have this thing about leaders.  Like everything human, it is largely a product of evolution.  We seem to want leaders of all types, some to look up to, to tell us what to do, someone we can emulate.  We really ought to question that.  Most leaders are worthless.  And if we really believe in the value and dignity of individuals, for our public life, our government, our policy, we ought to have as much direct democracy as possible and give no more power to any specific individuals than is absolutely necessary.  The less power any individual has, the better off we all are.  And we are faced today with an ideology, which supposedly is gaining favor in this country, which believes that government, which doesn’t exist as a sentient entity, there are only individuals in government positions, knows best how to run our economy and all aspects of our lives.  Do you really want an idiot like AOC deciding how you have to live your life?  I love Bob Dylan and he as usual said it best “don’t follow leaders, watch your parkin’ meters”.  The same song has the memorable line “you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows”.

Think.  For.  Yourself.