Taft was a warmhearted and kind man who wanted to be loved as a person and to be respected for his judicial temperament. It was his temperament, moreover, that caused most of his problems as a political leader. Taft seldom took any initiative in legislative matters, and he had little talent for leadership. He tended to ponder at great length all sides of a question. In essence, he was not decisive. He sat by quietly, for example, as the Republican-dominated Congress added 847 amendments to his tariff reform package, dashing any hope for real reform. Additionally, he was inactive. He typically ate a dozen eggs, a pound of bacon, and mounds of pancakes for breakfast, leaving him sluggish for most of the morning.