Whether you're Republican or Democrat;
Or Liberal, Conservative, Anti-War or Tea partier;
Let us celebrate that we live in the Greatest Republic in the World.
America has had quiet transfers of power for over 200 years -- pretty good odds. If you don't like a President, you can always vote against them next time.
But to carry a theme, Presidents are people. They are not perfect, but if you use one standard for one president, hold the next one to the same standard. Not that hard. I do it all the time.
Enjoy the pics Valley people!
President Teddy Roosevelt, The Right of the People to Rule
My question: Who is your favorite and least favorite Presidents?
Least-favorite president is easy (though possibly surprising for those who, like me, endured the Carter "Malaise" era):
ReplyDeleteJames Buchanan.
Imagine yourself in President Buchanan's position. You chose not to run for reelection, thus leading to your party being split. Your successor is from a different, upstart political party with the abolition of slavery as a primary goal. In the wake of the election, a number of states in which slavery is legal begin making noise about seceding from the Union. Oh, and by the way, although the election was held in early November 1860, your successor won't take the oath of office until early March 1861.
What do you do about the potential dissolution of the Union?
A. You declare that secession is insurrection against the Federal government and seek cooperation from Congress to take whatever steps are necessary and proper to suppress it. While constitutionally suspect, this choice at least upholds the principle that states ought not throw a hissy-fit and "take their ball and go home" because of the outcome of an election, particularly before the winners in that election even took office.
B. You declare that secession is lawful, as the Constitution is a revocable compact between sovereign States. While this decision is constitutionally supportable, its consequences leave you no recourse save persuasion to prevent secession.
C. You can declare, in a muddle apparently designed to please all parties, that secession is illegal, but that the Federal government has no authority to prevent it. This, of course, leaves open the question of who does have authority to prevent or punish an illegal act against the Federal government, if not the Executive branch (in consultation with Congress, which would have to appropriate the funds necessary for the task)?
President Buchanan took the least-courageous option, chose C, and turned over to President Lincoln a seceded Confederacy that had been afforded several months to organize its defense.