Richard Nixon famously remarked that no one could attain public office unless he had the “fire in the belly” impelling him to overcome the obstacles.

He was right, of course. Attaining office is an obstacle course so difficult that without the “fire in the belly”, the half-(or more) insane determination to get there, no one can possibly get there. Trouble is, that obstacle course selects only for “fire in the belly”, and not for intelligence, competence, or even sanity. Arguably it selects against those qualities, especially the last.

The result is as we see: a national “leadership” composed of arrogant dumbasses whose only qualification for office is fire in the belly. They don’t have the least idea what they’re doing, but they’re determined to do it — and to make the rest of us go along.

There is one difference: Whether you think Dick Nixon was good, evil, or something in between, you have to admit he was competent, so it’s a bit unfair to use him as the emblem for this gang of loonwaffles. He’s gone to his reward, whatever that may be, and no longer cares, so we’re free to use his name to characterize a gang of self-important idiots. A Congress of Nixons, with all-consuming fires in their bellies, vacuum in their skulls, and greed in their hearts.