I think we should celebrate war heroes, respect them, give them medals, throw parties for them, and tap their military wisdom when military wisdom is needed.

I do not, however, think a fancy military record correlates with ability to govern.

Look at the heads of state in Africa.  War heroes.  Revolutionaries.  People that liberated their countries from horrible oppression. 

And shitty governors.  Shitty economy builders.  Greedy, egotistical, entitled nationalists. 

People that have succeeded and deserve recognition, but people that have succeeded in a sphere that is totally different from government.  A sphere in which quick, suboptimal decisions must be made all the time.  A sphere in which moral compromise happens by necessity every day.  A sphere that sharpens reflexes but deadens hearts.

And I think we can elect better governors than that.  People that are thoughtful and practical and humane.

Give me open minded problem solvers, not proud patriots.

I worry that George Washington's exceptional rule breaking (and our intense reverence for the Founding Fathers) keeps Americans from realizing the danger in electing war heroes.