This evening I found some perspective on the subject of American Presidents and their legacy. It was through the rear view mirror of a man who, given his lineage knows more than most folks on the subject: President George W. Bush.
President George W. Bush makes his Farewell Address to the nation on January 15, 2009 from the East Room of the White House. Source: Pool/Getty Images
In watching Bush’s final press conference in November, 2008, it was easy to see that W’s departure from the White House was somewhat bittersweet.
Clearly, W looked tired, not at all the same energetic guy he was eight years prior after putting the long campaign, with all its demands on his time and energy. The stressful situation that the election placed on him, the “Will we win the White House?” stress is just part of the package.
With the support of his party and, during his second presidential bid Bush had the benefit of one term under his belt to lead the country along the path he’d already begun blazing over the previous four years.
Enough Americans supported what Bush stood for and had begun building during the previous four years that they granted him another four years to move further.
It was late November when Bush made his final appearance as the 43rd US President, back when I still felt comfortable using a capital “P” for that honor.
In the moment I had that thought and all throughout the press conference I was struck by W’s humble expression of thanks to the White House press corps, addressing them not only by name but almost with an air of personal reminiscence considering the subjects they’d all confronted in their own capacity.
W thanked them for their dependable professionalism throughout his term and graciously noted that, though he didn’t always agree with what they wrote he always respected the fact that, like W himself they had a job to do.
It was readily apparent that the press corps had, with the president a mutually effective relationship. It was during the transition from Bush’s administration to President-elect Obama’s, when Bush could open up and speak to the press with more candor than ever.
While no such relationship is without its trials the emotion in the briefing room was one of fond farewell, mostly on the face of the outgoing president, and rightly so; Bush 43’s job was through, his time in office up and a life out of the ever-waiting and watching spotlight awaited him at his Crawford, Texas ranch.
This was his last opportunity to interact with members of the press and, despite how dog-tired Bush seemed he nonetheless didn’t squander the chance to thank them for fulfilling their responsibility as only members of the Fourth Estate can.
Out with the old and in with the new. It was clear both Bush and members of the press had, for better or worse a true working relationship. Personal differences were set aside, for ol’ George was headed home, while members of the press could put a little closure on their work with the Bush administration.
Then they’d focus upon the incoming agenda of America’s first African-American President, President-elect Barack Obama’s and the cycle would begin anew. And away both sides went, to dive in head-first into their new lives.
Back then I was largely removed from the process, having suffered a near-fatal bicycle accident with a car at the beginning of Obama’s second term.
My general absence from the novelty of Obama’s presidency was tempered by my trust that all those in charge of keeping the wheels turning smoothly in Washington, DC were there, working their best.
My how times have changed. The old codger who currently occupies the White House is the moral and emotional antithesis of nearly everything I’ve come to expect from my limited understanding of how Washington works, so to speak.
For the past year and a half, my trust in US President #45’s ability to not only be a strong American and dependable world leader but to respectfully be the face who represents the global face of America.
In fact, the rest of the free world was also sizing up Trump and had no reason to think this president would be different is the reason many unthinkable things. But the sharp departure from the behaved and civilized presidential comportment the world has long expected American presidents to observe is evident.
Today’s president is one that is anything but forthright and becoming. He is incapable of seeing any situation that he begrudgingly addresses and dismisses other Americans’ plight as really being an opportunity for self-enrichment and self-promotion.
Historically, our democracy clearly lays out its bedrock principles as those upon which the foundation rests. It allows for many different interpretations of American law and, up until January 20, 2017, the day when #45 took the reins of government into office the campaign for self-promotion and its reliance upon a pandering.
Despite our shaky experiences with Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon it’s certain that today’s codger-president has never been seen before. Presidential party affiliations aside, there exists no contingency for handling such a self-serving specimen of a person.
Today’s president has yet to engage in positive and productive pursuits. His blatant and self serving PR efforts are little more than coverups and excuses for his abysmal job performance and self-enrichment schemes.
Clearly, a change is in order, and it’s up to those who voted the current American president in to inspire Congress to kick him out. Up until now, the silence that House Republicans have maintained in the face of their egregiously corrupt president and his Cabinet makes them every bit as complicit in this corruption.
Therefore, American Republican voters who are staunch supporters of the president will likely never change their beliefs and that’s okay.
Unless you were a Revolutionary War-era slave, America was founded on the principle that its citizens have a right to one’s political beliefs no matter the reason; the monarchy the Founders had overcome on our home soil absolved all future Americans from having to face such oppression ever again.
Those who resist do not and cannot possibly support this president on the basis of his agenda or his principles, for this president has neither. He has never had a discernible, tangible plan beyond sizing up options that will maximize his positive revenue flow.
It’s the sort of situation the Founding Fathers had fought against and won. Ironically, these same American revolutionaries wrote the Second Amendment so as to always have an armed militia at the ready lest an oppressive regime try to hijack America’s newly-won freedoms again.
Though America is the most powerful globally due to its economic and military strength, its greatest weakness currently comes from within and at its highest levels of leadership.
Therefore, those voters who are aware that their currency is no longer the musket ball but the ballot box owe it to the Founding Fathers to step up and stop the ever-faster downward slide America continues. Its future as a global leader capable of fighting oppression elsewhere in the world is not holding water given the upheaval it faces from within.
Today, Americans have few options but to live with its current promise-the-world-then-let-them-eat-cake bait-and-switch administration. However, Americans’ current predicament with a would-be authoritarian at the helm is a prime opportunity to re-establish itself as a shining example of democracy.
Overthrowing a tinpot tyrant like trump is something that, until recently only takes place elsewhere; to other people in other countries. Despite American troops being dispatched to these faraway lands to do their work, American voters can reel in their misguided president and restore order to the White House where precious little currently exists.
These silenced legislators, pressured by their constituents will see their silence as diminishing their chances at reelection. They will suddenly find their voice and become agents for change, upholding their vow to defend the Constitution as required by their oath of office and demanded by all their voters.
Now that we’re here, it’s time for voters to demonstrate a grand display of the democratic principles American troops fight to install abroad. From this experience America can prove to the world that democracy will always prevail, and that it can work for your people, too if you are willing to embrace it.
The president has proven that his “I alone can fix it” mentality could never work in American democracy, hence the collective brain trust by the Founding Fathers, not the Founding Father.
America will not be toppled by a tinpot tyrant, but will continue to lead through the civil-minded efforts of the new leaders who have long begun emerging from the ashes of the current American political leadership.
We’ll know with certainty that we will again deserve the world’s respect when we vote in a president who supports America, and not just himself. There are numerous American legislators who can step up and do justice to the Presidency and restore its dignity, both at home and abroad.
Who better to put a truly new and resolute face on women and on people of color, people like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris? We are newly reminded as to what the alternatives can be if we become complacent about who we elect to lead the country.
That said, I say with heartfelt sincerity Thank You, King George III, King Nixon, King Clinton and about to be-deposed King Trump.
Except for being a cautionary tale for civics class students, you won’t be missed once you’re gone; the country will rebuild and restore everything yet again: Our governmental system, our right to believe in our elected officials and that they’ll truly honor the Constitution and Oath of Office.
Our country is not one of “I alone can fix it,” but “We will work together to improve.”
Even if it’s the only positive thing your administrations have taught us it’s that each of you remind us that American democracy will always prevail. So thank you for that critical reminder.
No comments:
Post a Comment