Shouldn't the presidency come with serious consequences for poor performance?
You might think responsibility and the presidency would go hand in hand but the Skeptic thinks you'd be wrong, the last president we had who was held accountable for his actions while in office was Richard Nixon and the Skeptic thinks if he wasn't so extremely unlikable he would have escaped justice too. For reasons that totally baffle the Skeptic this country treats our presidents like royalty and he thinks it's ridiculous. After we won our War of Independence we, as a nation, made a conscious decision to not have a king, our forefathers knew what it was like to live in a society where your chances of success were totally dependent on who your parents were and they rejected that form of government in favor of a republic. The Skeptic thinks that was a wise decision but they way we treat presidents today and the things we let them get away with is strangely reminiscent of how royalty was treated. Our presidents travel with more security and luxury than any royal on earth and that includes the Queen of England and the King of Saudi Arabia. It costs us a fortune every time the president, or his wife, decide to go out for a burger and when they make a real trip the costs skyrocket to levels you can't imagine. Is it necessary? No. Is it wise? Of course not and for reasons that go beyond the simple cost of a trip.
Some will say that our president needs the trappings of office to show the world what a great country we are or to impress potential allies and enemies. They argue that the cost is relatively insignificant when compared to the entire budget so why not treat our president like a king? To all these things the Skeptic says you are wrong. If a man or woman, elected as president of the United States, can't get the respect of the rest of the world without strutting around with a few hundred people surrounding them they don't deserve the office. Is the cost of this entourage a minute percentage of the budget? Of course it is but that only tells you that we are spending far too much money in the first place. Abraham Lincoln ran the country in the middle of a major war with virtually no security, he rode a horse, he drove a carriage, he had people walking in and out of the White House with no security checks, the Skeptic thinks today's presidents are in no more, and probably less, danger than faced Lincoln yet they seem to need an army of security people to make them feel or look more presidential. To the Skeptic the whole entourage thing is ostentatious and totally unnecessary.
Now imagine, just for a moment if it's not too distasteful, that you are Barack Obama and much to your surprise you've found yourself sitting in the White House. You know it was a fluke of timing and the fact that George Bush was such a God awful president that you got elected but you don't care. You've already got an ego and sense of self worth that is blown out of all proportion for no apparent reason and now the taxpayers of the United States are providing you with a customized 747, an army of personal bodyguards, people to serve your every whim and everywhere you go thousands of people show up to cheer the simple fact that you've deigned to visit their town. The Skeptic thinks your oversize ego is going to get even more out of control, forget about the fact that thousands of other Americans are sitting in their homes hating everything you do, you needn't worry about them, you're the president and you can do no wrong. Really, how could you, look at the security and the crowds, you are magnificent, you are the president of the most powerful country in the world. Hell, even if you aren't Barack Obama there's a chance your ego might get a little out of control with all the adulation you receive. You could be, let's say Richard Nixon, the press hates your ass and is doing everything possible to get you tossed in jail but you still get the security and unbelievably, the crowds still show up to support you. Oh, there are some morons there shouting out curse words at you but your supporters are there too, calling your name and shouting their love for you, terrific job, isn't it? But the country is paying a price for this behavior and the Skeptic wants you to think about what we're doing when we allow this sort of thing to continue.
Let's think for a moment about the people we put into office and what they've done to get there and why we show up by the thousands just to get a glimpse of the man. It's understandable that the wealthy will pay thousands to sit near such men at a fundraiser, they want access, but why do the regular people, the people who make the country work show up at these events? The Skeptic doesn't know, it makes no sense, there is no rhyme or reason to it. Look at it like this, what would Barack Obama be doing if he weren't a politician? He'd probably still be community organizing and stirring up trouble. How about Bill Clinton? Probably be a lawyer in Little Rock chasing ambulances. Richard Nixon? On Wall Street acting as an attorney for one of the big brokerage houses. Jimmy Carter? Peanut farming. The junior George Bush? Probably sitting around some country club boozing it up and telling dumb ass jokes. The point is there is a difference between showing respect for the office and turning the occupant of that office into something they're not. By taking very average, and many times, below average people and inflating their egos like we do we create a unique set of problems and we're living with that mistake everyday now. You can show respect without making a fool out of yourself.
It's not just the presidency, it's the Congress as well, these people, for the most part, are nothing special yet we treat them like we couldn't live without them. We readily accept the excuse that they give in to lobbyists because they need the money lobbyists offer to get reelected. Really? And what on God's green earth is so special about any of them that that any particular one of them deserves to serve in Congress? Why accept that excuse? If your congressperson is voting against your interests in favor of a lobbyist's position so they can be reelected that's a reason to get rid of them...not to excuse them and reelect them.
The Skeptic would humbly like to make a suggestion. We need to take away the pomp that goes with politics today, we need to demand that the president start acting like a public servant and not a king. If Prince William and his young bride can occasionally travel on a commercial flight, why can't our president do the same? At the very least we could ditch Air Force One and he could travel with far less security and on a military plane rather than the opulent 747 he uses now. The plane does nothing but give our presidents a very overinflated ego and overinflated egos have a way of causing trouble. When he travels abroad couldn't he do without his own personal motorcade? Most countries have perfectly good limousines these days, do we really have to send the president's car, and dozens more for friends and security, with him when he goes? Why? Security? The Skeptic doesn't buy it, it's prestige and nothing more and so what if he is harmed or killed because we cut back on security? The Skeptic doesn't like the thought but if he could be just a little irreverent here...so what? People get killed all the time, even great presidents have been killed, they are replaceable and they were replaced. This obsession with safety we have today is a fantasy, we are all going to die, that is a fact, so why waste all this money protecting politicians from the inevitable? When have you ever heard that a president or a king was killed and no one was willing to take their place out of fear for their life? Really, we have a vice president, we wouldn't even have to stage a special election, the replacement is ready to take over in an instant so why bother with the excessive security? Maybe we should tone it down, even at the local level we are living in a security camera world, security is everywhere in the land of the free and the home of the brave and nowhere is it more evident than it is around the president. The Skeptic has read many times that the governments of most of the countries the president visits are offended by the huge show of force that comes with a presidential visit because they don't protect their own leaders to that degree. Is this really the image we want to project around the world? That our president is such a reviled figure that he needs an army to protect him wherever he travels?
Then there's the fact that no matter what these guys do they have no real fear of any serious consequences. Take the country to war without a declaration from Congress? Not a problem. Thousands of dead and injured soldiers, oh well. Have sex with underage, chubby, naive interns? Are we honestly going to punish a man for his personal life? Well, maybe if he's a plumber but never a president. Show little or no regard for the Constitution? Oh it's just an old document filled with negative rights, no big deal. So with no fear of any meaningful consequences why wouldn't a president act more like a king or an emperor? There is no reason and they do, all of them and if we want it to stop we need to demand changes and please note, the Skeptic is not being a partisan here, both sides do it and it gets worse with each passing administration.
They need to be held accountable but that's difficult in a world where the only people who could do something about it are in the Congress and are more loyal to party and ideology than they are to country. Most of the members in Congress today have become accustomed to their own huge staffs and good salaries and they are reluctant to even think about cutting back on presidential staff and benefits for fear they'd have to cut back on their own. For similar reasons they are unwilling to hold a president responsible for his bad behavior, hell, they won't even hold them responsible for unconstitutional behavior.
Look, the Skeptic isn't looking for a president to be perfect, it's not a reasonable position to take but wouldn't it be comforting to know whoever is in the Oval Office would be held accountable just as any of us would be for poor performance or criminal behavior? The job has become so powerful that all its occupant hears are ass kissers and yes men and that's the last thing that someone with an already massive ego needs. Look, let's face it most of these men are not there for the country anymore, there are no more George Washingtons out there, these men are there because they crave power and the adulation they receive from supporters. The Skeptic thinks if we cut back on the planes and the security and the other perks that make the position so prestigious and make it clear that the president would be subject to removal or prison for wrongdoing we might, stress, might, get a better quality president. It's time to pull back the curtain and demystify the job, they are mere mortals with egos too large for their own good. We need to make the job what it was meant to be, an executive administrative position responsible for the nuts and bolts of government. If we were to do these things there's a chance we'll get someone who sincerely wishes to do a good job rather than trotting around the globe like the pompous boobs that have held the job ever since Eisenhower, probably the last president to do a decent job. You can say what you will about the Skeptic's view of this but he thinks in your heart you know he's right.
Some will say that our president needs the trappings of office to show the world what a great country we are or to impress potential allies and enemies. They argue that the cost is relatively insignificant when compared to the entire budget so why not treat our president like a king? To all these things the Skeptic says you are wrong. If a man or woman, elected as president of the United States, can't get the respect of the rest of the world without strutting around with a few hundred people surrounding them they don't deserve the office. Is the cost of this entourage a minute percentage of the budget? Of course it is but that only tells you that we are spending far too much money in the first place. Abraham Lincoln ran the country in the middle of a major war with virtually no security, he rode a horse, he drove a carriage, he had people walking in and out of the White House with no security checks, the Skeptic thinks today's presidents are in no more, and probably less, danger than faced Lincoln yet they seem to need an army of security people to make them feel or look more presidential. To the Skeptic the whole entourage thing is ostentatious and totally unnecessary.
Now imagine, just for a moment if it's not too distasteful, that you are Barack Obama and much to your surprise you've found yourself sitting in the White House. You know it was a fluke of timing and the fact that George Bush was such a God awful president that you got elected but you don't care. You've already got an ego and sense of self worth that is blown out of all proportion for no apparent reason and now the taxpayers of the United States are providing you with a customized 747, an army of personal bodyguards, people to serve your every whim and everywhere you go thousands of people show up to cheer the simple fact that you've deigned to visit their town. The Skeptic thinks your oversize ego is going to get even more out of control, forget about the fact that thousands of other Americans are sitting in their homes hating everything you do, you needn't worry about them, you're the president and you can do no wrong. Really, how could you, look at the security and the crowds, you are magnificent, you are the president of the most powerful country in the world. Hell, even if you aren't Barack Obama there's a chance your ego might get a little out of control with all the adulation you receive. You could be, let's say Richard Nixon, the press hates your ass and is doing everything possible to get you tossed in jail but you still get the security and unbelievably, the crowds still show up to support you. Oh, there are some morons there shouting out curse words at you but your supporters are there too, calling your name and shouting their love for you, terrific job, isn't it? But the country is paying a price for this behavior and the Skeptic wants you to think about what we're doing when we allow this sort of thing to continue.
Let's think for a moment about the people we put into office and what they've done to get there and why we show up by the thousands just to get a glimpse of the man. It's understandable that the wealthy will pay thousands to sit near such men at a fundraiser, they want access, but why do the regular people, the people who make the country work show up at these events? The Skeptic doesn't know, it makes no sense, there is no rhyme or reason to it. Look at it like this, what would Barack Obama be doing if he weren't a politician? He'd probably still be community organizing and stirring up trouble. How about Bill Clinton? Probably be a lawyer in Little Rock chasing ambulances. Richard Nixon? On Wall Street acting as an attorney for one of the big brokerage houses. Jimmy Carter? Peanut farming. The junior George Bush? Probably sitting around some country club boozing it up and telling dumb ass jokes. The point is there is a difference between showing respect for the office and turning the occupant of that office into something they're not. By taking very average, and many times, below average people and inflating their egos like we do we create a unique set of problems and we're living with that mistake everyday now. You can show respect without making a fool out of yourself.
It's not just the presidency, it's the Congress as well, these people, for the most part, are nothing special yet we treat them like we couldn't live without them. We readily accept the excuse that they give in to lobbyists because they need the money lobbyists offer to get reelected. Really? And what on God's green earth is so special about any of them that that any particular one of them deserves to serve in Congress? Why accept that excuse? If your congressperson is voting against your interests in favor of a lobbyist's position so they can be reelected that's a reason to get rid of them...not to excuse them and reelect them.
The Skeptic would humbly like to make a suggestion. We need to take away the pomp that goes with politics today, we need to demand that the president start acting like a public servant and not a king. If Prince William and his young bride can occasionally travel on a commercial flight, why can't our president do the same? At the very least we could ditch Air Force One and he could travel with far less security and on a military plane rather than the opulent 747 he uses now. The plane does nothing but give our presidents a very overinflated ego and overinflated egos have a way of causing trouble. When he travels abroad couldn't he do without his own personal motorcade? Most countries have perfectly good limousines these days, do we really have to send the president's car, and dozens more for friends and security, with him when he goes? Why? Security? The Skeptic doesn't buy it, it's prestige and nothing more and so what if he is harmed or killed because we cut back on security? The Skeptic doesn't like the thought but if he could be just a little irreverent here...so what? People get killed all the time, even great presidents have been killed, they are replaceable and they were replaced. This obsession with safety we have today is a fantasy, we are all going to die, that is a fact, so why waste all this money protecting politicians from the inevitable? When have you ever heard that a president or a king was killed and no one was willing to take their place out of fear for their life? Really, we have a vice president, we wouldn't even have to stage a special election, the replacement is ready to take over in an instant so why bother with the excessive security? Maybe we should tone it down, even at the local level we are living in a security camera world, security is everywhere in the land of the free and the home of the brave and nowhere is it more evident than it is around the president. The Skeptic has read many times that the governments of most of the countries the president visits are offended by the huge show of force that comes with a presidential visit because they don't protect their own leaders to that degree. Is this really the image we want to project around the world? That our president is such a reviled figure that he needs an army to protect him wherever he travels?
Then there's the fact that no matter what these guys do they have no real fear of any serious consequences. Take the country to war without a declaration from Congress? Not a problem. Thousands of dead and injured soldiers, oh well. Have sex with underage, chubby, naive interns? Are we honestly going to punish a man for his personal life? Well, maybe if he's a plumber but never a president. Show little or no regard for the Constitution? Oh it's just an old document filled with negative rights, no big deal. So with no fear of any meaningful consequences why wouldn't a president act more like a king or an emperor? There is no reason and they do, all of them and if we want it to stop we need to demand changes and please note, the Skeptic is not being a partisan here, both sides do it and it gets worse with each passing administration.
They need to be held accountable but that's difficult in a world where the only people who could do something about it are in the Congress and are more loyal to party and ideology than they are to country. Most of the members in Congress today have become accustomed to their own huge staffs and good salaries and they are reluctant to even think about cutting back on presidential staff and benefits for fear they'd have to cut back on their own. For similar reasons they are unwilling to hold a president responsible for his bad behavior, hell, they won't even hold them responsible for unconstitutional behavior.
Look, the Skeptic isn't looking for a president to be perfect, it's not a reasonable position to take but wouldn't it be comforting to know whoever is in the Oval Office would be held accountable just as any of us would be for poor performance or criminal behavior? The job has become so powerful that all its occupant hears are ass kissers and yes men and that's the last thing that someone with an already massive ego needs. Look, let's face it most of these men are not there for the country anymore, there are no more George Washingtons out there, these men are there because they crave power and the adulation they receive from supporters. The Skeptic thinks if we cut back on the planes and the security and the other perks that make the position so prestigious and make it clear that the president would be subject to removal or prison for wrongdoing we might, stress, might, get a better quality president. It's time to pull back the curtain and demystify the job, they are mere mortals with egos too large for their own good. We need to make the job what it was meant to be, an executive administrative position responsible for the nuts and bolts of government. If we were to do these things there's a chance we'll get someone who sincerely wishes to do a good job rather than trotting around the globe like the pompous boobs that have held the job ever since Eisenhower, probably the last president to do a decent job. You can say what you will about the Skeptic's view of this but he thinks in your heart you know he's right.