SNIP The only thing this needs to be taken as, is a que to our collective leaders to ramp up assistance for the mentally ill who have been revolving around in the criminal justice system for years and decades.
"You cant prevent insane people from doing insane things by passing insane laws."
~Penn & Teller
The bold-red above might be part of the problem.
By identifying government officials as our "leaders" we are essentially saying individuals have no existence outside of the State. It is the equivalent of saying society is the state, and the state is society. This is a very pernicious concept. I reject this idea.
When I vote for president, I am voting only for the leader of the executive branch of the fedgov. Not the leader of the nation. When I vote for my state delegate or congressman, I am voting a representative, not a leader.
Also, such a "leaders" concept is incompatible with the idea that the government is our servant.
To say the state is society/society is the state is to play right into the hands of big government who want to lead and mold society with uncountable laws and regulations. And, plays right into the hands of the those members of society who are arrogant enough to believe they know what is right for everybody else and desire 1) the regulation, and 2) to be the regulators.
I will look to history, philosophers, etc. (those who have more information or are wiser than I) for "leadership" (in the form of ideas and analysis) in forming my opinions. Beyond that, the only leader I have is my supervisor at work.