... each of whose chosen leader ...
Let's be clear that we (by that I mean each of us, individually) are absolutely not choosing a leader. I do not need nor want a leader. I have One, anyone can have their own or not have one at all. This is America, where we don't follow any man or men.
What we need is the screwdriver that fits the screws that secure the cover of the bomb sewn into the suicide vest the lefties have secured around the mid-riff of the spirit of the thing we love, which vest, as it happens, is in a final detonation sequence.
After that, we need a humble and even perfect janitor-with-a-gun who will never let this happen again ... or, electorates being what they are ... at least not so powerful a bomb with such picky tight screws.
But for now, we just need to make it through the day.
Tomorrow is a good day for janitors with perfect toilet cleaning technique and diamond studded screwdrivers with fine honed tips.
Today is a good day for any rusted piece of crap with a handle so long as it fits the slot and won't break when it's turned. This is a nasty bomb and these are coarse, rusted in, melted in screws.
What we don't need right now or ever is a leader, and as is pointed out, purity doeth not a screw unturn.
We are hiring a guard, mechanic and right now a bomb squad, we are not hiring the thing that embodies the thing that needs to be rescued first, then guarded and maintained.
If you really really really believe the course mechanic as opposed to the fine engineer will turn the screws the wrong way, then my answer is that I don't believe the fine engineer has strength enough in his hands to turn the screw at all, and so that's a chance I'm willing to take.
I like your analogies - and being 23 years a flight line and overhaul A&P - and now an Architectural Designer ... I get the point. Well stated. Thanks.