too busy fighting alligators to drain the swamp

The phrase "too busy fighting alligators to drain the swamp" is an idiom often used to describe a situation where someone is preoccupied with dealing with immediate, urgent, or everyday problems, without addressing the underlying or root causes of those problems. It suggests that the person is so engrossed in handling immediate tasks or crises (symbolized by fighting alligators) that they cannot focus on or invest time in resolving the larger, more systemic issues (symbolized by draining the swamp). It implies that the person is stuck in a cycle of constantly putting out fires rather than taking proactive or long-term measures to address the core issue.