Back in 1968, Political Scientist James Barber warned us all about the danger of electing Richard Nixon. His psycho-analysis of the President called him an active-negative personality, one whose desire for power was largely rooted in essentially negative reasons: the desire to overcome personal weaknesses. His theories since then have been largely discredited, though many of his ideas are still studied by political scientists today and tough in classrooms of higher learning.

He probably was right that many people enter politics not only to benefit society, but also to overcome their own weeknesses. Many of these people work their way up the ladder not through charisma or heroic acts, but through good solid work efforts that ultimately pay off in political power. Active-negatives volunteer more hours then other politicians, they work later in the night, and do more. They are good people to a degree.

Active-negatives are truly good people, but there weaknesses can be large. They can not withstand criticism, they take political remarks to be personal. They also are inflexible to change, eventhough while they are making change they tend to appear more innovative and pragmatic then most people. if the active-negative overcomes these weaknesses, and runs into relatively few situations where he ever has to change or be criticized, then he's truly destine for greatness.

Too often we criticize the active-negative personality, and see it's defects over it's positive. Certainly when the active-negative starts his downhill slide it can be a long ways down from greatness. Yet, we should focus on the heights and not the bottoms, and encourage people of this type to use their creativity and ability to do truly great things.