Monday, February 22, 2010

The President....of what?

We have all heard, and probably even stated, that the President is "President of the United States". But it really is deceiving.

First, the President is the head of the Executive Branch of the United States GOVERNMENT. He shares power with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Speaker of the House. What they do not do is control the United States. They are in charge of the government that has certain tasks assigned to it by the Constitution - a document provided by the People as a set of rules GOVERNMENT is to follow. Unlike other countries, there is no oath of allegiance to the President, or to Congress.

Second, the United States is not a single unit. It is a unified collection of 50 sovereign states. The President can not tell California, or New York, or South Dakota or even Illinois what to do. Congress is likewise restricted. It is easy to think of the United States as "one nation, under God" but we are "one nation" in that we all agree to be. That agreement IS subject to change. Granted, such a change, once sought, was forcibly denied - but it does not preclude such an attempt in the future.

I am not calling for, suggesting, or even hinting that such thoughts be manifest - on the contrary - I am stating that what 95% of Americans think is just a little wrong.

Obama is my President. That means he is in charge of the government entrusted with certain duties, not that he can call upon me to act in ways he prefers or desires. The government is a servant, a tool. The government is a landscaping business, hired to maintain our lands. The idea that the gardener has some special claim over the property or some special authority to decide how it should look or be enjoyed is LAUGHABLE.

About Congress: think of the Senate as a Butler and the House as the Maid. Each with their duties, but attempts to assert some type of ownership over the property is so out of place as to be an affront to good behavior and well beyond the list of duties they are intended to carryout.

Of course, the problem with long term help is they begin to think they own the place, that they are in fact co-equals with the REAL owners and therefore have the right to direct and use the property according to their wishes. Stupid servants.

Try to remember that when the gardener steps up to a microphone and proclaims that he has decided what can and can't be done by the owners with their land. Chauncey indeed....

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