You’re talking about the “competence” to achieve one’s political aims; the ability to get laws passed, for example, or to administer programs. This is bad in the hands of one’s political enemies—it is not good when Nazis are “competent” at genocide.
The OP is talking about the “competence” to achieve those goals where everyone is in rough consensus—we all want GDP growth, but the most competent politician is the one who’s best at getting it. This is usually less a matter of being good at getting laws passed, and more a matter of judging the efficacy of policies against the real world.
This kind of “competence” at non-controversial goals is universally a good thing. Nobody wants the trains not to run on time. The question is, would you prefer a politician who’s competent at non-controversial goals, or a politician who’s on your side in the controversies?
We’ve got warring notions of “competence.”
You’re talking about the “competence” to achieve one’s political aims; the ability to get laws passed, for example, or to administer programs. This is bad in the hands of one’s political enemies—it is not good when Nazis are “competent” at genocide.
The OP is talking about the “competence” to achieve those goals where everyone is in rough consensus—we all want GDP growth, but the most competent politician is the one who’s best at getting it. This is usually less a matter of being good at getting laws passed, and more a matter of judging the efficacy of policies against the real world.
This kind of “competence” at non-controversial goals is universally a good thing. Nobody wants the trains not to run on time. The question is, would you prefer a politician who’s competent at non-controversial goals, or a politician who’s on your side in the controversies?