Direction

#5 in a Series of Democratic Virtues

It’s common to hear someone describe an individual as “all energy but no direction.” A leader can be a decent human being, acting with dignity and determined to perform his duties as he sees them, but still be a disastrous national leader. Energy and action are not enough – the leader must move in the correct direction to be a reliable change agent. While energy and passion can command attention, they mean very little without direction – a coherent sense of purpose and a disciplined understanding of where the country needs to go and how to get there. Direction is the difference between activity and accomplishment.

By this point in this series of essays on democratic values, it should be obvious that I’m drawing a distinction between these values and the way President Trump is conducting himself during his second term in office. He campaigned on standard issues – tamping down inflation, securing the southern border, curtailing government support for efforts to enforce diversity and inclusion, and reducing taxes and regulations on businesses, for a few examples. I don’t agree with most of what he said he was going to do, but he stated these goals pretty clearly. He denied any association with Project 2025, but anyone who read this document during the campaign had some idea of the focus of his proposed administration.

Bue he has focused instead on tearing down part of the White House, rounding up brown people in major cities while denying them due process, arbitrarily defunding government programs he doesn’t like, unlawfully firing government employees, telling the DOJ to prosecute anyone he doesn’t like, redecorating the Oval Office so that it looks like the living room of Epstein’s house on the island, mocking and degrading his predecessors, using generative AI to turn himself into an action hero, shitposting hundreds of times every day, deploying the resources of the United States Navy to blow up boats in the Caribbean on the pretext that they are the primary conduit of drugs to the country (HINT: They’re not), threatening war against various Central and South American nations while falsely claiming to have stopped eight wars (or is it more? I haven’t checked today), pardoning felons if their felonies were in support of him, denying the legitimacy of elections, accepting made-up awards as if they’re the real thing – and I could go on. The point is that there is no direction to this administration. And this matters.

Direction gives meaning to power

The presidency is an enormously powerful office – militarily, diplomatically, and administratively. Without direction, that power becomes unstable and potentially dangerous: it can be used impulsively, vindictively, or for short-term spectacle rather than long-term national interest. A directed president uses power to solve problems, not to create chaos; to build systems, not merely to dominate a news cycle.

Direction anchors the presidency in purpose, not performance

Modern presidents are constantly tempted toward theater — social media battles, symbolic gestures, and performative toughness. Direction keeps a president grounded in substance over show, reminding them that the job isn’t to entertain or project bravado, but to govern, solve problems, and represent the entire nation.

Direction creates consistency in domestic policy

Congress, courts, the states, and federal agencies all rely on a president who knows what he wants to accomplish. Direction shapes everything the government does, including establishing budgets and fiscal priorities, defining regulatory goals, developing and implementing long-term infrastructure and economic plans, coming up with public health strategies, and recognizing the urgency of climate and technology policy. Without direction, policies swing wildly, become improvisational, or get abandoned halfway through, leaving instability that damages families, businesses, and institutions.

Direction preserves credibility with allies and partners

Foreign policy requires trust. A president without direction confuses allies, emboldens adversaries, and weakens America’s standing in the world. Direction allows the president to set clear priorities, consistent commitments, steady diplomatic goals, and predictable red lines. This predictability is not a weakness; rather, it’s what enables allies to cooperate, investors to remain confident, and adversaries to think twice.

Direction enables crisis leadership

Whether facing pandemics, natural disasters, economic shocks, or military or terrorist attacks, the president must make rapid decisions. In a crisis, direction is essential because it clarifies what outcomes matter, disciplines the decision-making process, focuses attention on expert input rather than ego, and avoids flailing, contradiction, and improvisation. A president with direction responds with purpose rather than with his gut.

Direction builds public confidence

Americans don’t need a perfect president, but they do need a president who knows where he is going. Direction gives citizens something to hold onto – a sense that decisions connect to a larger strategy instead of being tossed off in anger, spur-of-the-moment instinct, or the pursuit of applause. It reassures the country that there is a steady hand on the wheel.

Direction protects democracy

A president without direction often defaults to grievance, aggression, or the raw theatrics of power. A president with direction, by contrast, articulates democratic values, builds institutions, reinforces the rule of law, prioritizes civic stability, and recognizes limits on presidential authority. Direction keeps the presidency from degrading into personal rule, and keeps national life anchored in shared constitutional commitments.