The "I tried" folks

I'm struck by the anomaly created by those elected officials seeking to explain their lack of success.  Far too prevalent, starting with the President and going all the way to local officials, is the "I tried" defense.  So their explanations go, "I tired and we'll do it better next time."  No acceptance of responsibility.  Certainly no pursuit of personal accountability.  With the metaphoric wave of the hand and a statement of attempt, all is now well.

No where, except in politics, are folks held to a lessor degree of responsibility.  As the World Series is being played, does anyone believe a team comprised of players who constantly state "I tired" and never achieve would be competing today?   Of course not.  The mere thought is ludicrous.  Dismaying is the fact that Americans hold their professional athletes to a higher standard than their elected officials.

Would we accept from a surgeon the "I tired" explanation after a failed surgery?  Certainly not.

Would we pay the auto mechanic who failed to repair our car, when he says, "I tired?"  Most assuredly not.

In your job, would you continue to be paid and even promoted for merely trying?  Suggesting such is laughable.

The recent dust up about the computer/IT issues associated with the Affordable Care Act provides just one more example of this anomaly.  It is certainly peculiar for those in charge to expect the American people to accept their proffered "I tried" explanations.

Hence being fascinated by the willingness of the American people to accept these feeble explanations from elected officials.  And astonishment that the electorate returns such individuals to office, time and time again.  It is as if failure is unrecognized and mere expressions of attempts are the metric by which success is measured.

It is time that the "I tired" folks be held accountable, just as we hold others accountable.  End the anomaly.