| Ideally they don't change course every 4 years, they change only people who become more adept at maintaining course as they go along. Quite simply the US had founding fathers who were ahead of their time, and some uncharted waters ahead of it. This set the example for the decent navigators who took the executive positions, but momentum can only last so long. You need decent people to come along on a regular basis to refresh the progress. The very system that allowed for a gifted individual to have an outsized positive outcome, has always posed a real vulnerability if the decency is compromised. Whether that is a "natural" lack of decency or if compromises escalate over time, that's a weakness which is magnified when it does show up. Different presidents have had this problem from time to time. When you start with a country where the big advantage is being ahead of its time with an emphasis on more decency than average, it doesn't take somebody completely behind the times or absolutely disgusting to do serious damage. Even dropping the ball one time can be a major setback. Just ask every respectable President in history. |