Like so many others, I listened to the inauguration of Barack Obama, as the 44th President of the United States. Many people are full of hope and anticipation of the changes this new President promises to make. Let us remember, he is a president, not a king. It is important to remember this very important point.
With a president, we see the interplay of the Legislative and Executive branches. Each has responsibilities to the people that elected them, each has limitations placed on it by the Constitution. With a king, the people are subject to the whims and desires of the monarch, with the only limitations based on the ruler's imagination. The good thing about a president, is that they can be replaced every four years; with a king, the deal is for life. The good thing about the king, is we don’t get to make choices about many aspects of our life. The bad thing about a king, is we don’t get to make choices about many aspects of our life.
I wish for this Country’s success. I can’t say, yet, I wish for President Obama’s success. Why? Because, I’m not sure what success means in his eyes vs the eyes of the Constitution. I wish for the success of this Nation and its people. As for an individual president, this could be a time when it’s patriotic to wish for failure of his policies and programs.
Time will tell.
11 years ago
