Alexander Hamilton

Is it a sense of justice or bitterness that motivates me? Two years ago, a senior partner at my firm retired and I was passed over for someone who joined six months after me—but who went to a more prestigious law school and has family connections to major clients. I've been stewing ever since. I work harder than anyone in my department. I bill more hours, and my outcomes are better. But I can't stop obsessing over this injustice. I've started looking at other firms, but part of me wants to stay and prove them wrong. My wife says the bitterness is changing me. I snap at the kids. I check my work email at dinner. I fantasize about my rival failing spectacularly. Is my ambition healthy or is it destroying me? Should I leave for a fresh start or stay and fight for what I deserve? — Passed Over in Philadelphia

86 votes

I'm a senior official in the executive branch. My boss—a Cabinet secretary—wants to implement a major policy change through executive action. Our lawyers say it's legally defensible but will certainly be challenged in court. The courts might uphold it, or might strike it down. The alternative is to work with Congress, but that would take years and might fail entirely. People are suffering now from the problem this policy would address. Some of my colleagues say we should act boldly. "The executive exists to execute. Let the courts check us if they think we've overstepped. That's how the system is supposed to work—action and response, not paralysis by anticipated objection." Others say we should respect the limits of our authority even when we disagree with them. "If we stretch executive power when we're in charge, we legitimate the same stretching when our opponents are in charge. The precedent matters more than the policy." I believe in this policy. I also believe in institutional limits. How do I weigh doing good now against the long-term health of the system? — The Executive Overreach Question in DC

58 votes