Presidents Day

What I wouldn't give to have a President of the United States like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or James Madison. You know, someone with brains and a set of morals. What would that be like? I love President's Day because we take the time to actually think, if only for a second, about the great men, and idiots, who have served this country.

I can't imagine what it would be like to be the President. You'd immediately have people who hate you, oppose your views, and watch for any mistake or failure. You'd have the joy of inheriting the previous president's term with all the mess and political blunders that come with it. Yet people would blame you for the bad results of the previous presidency that occur during your term. And the best part would be that everything would be your fault. People would blame you for all the ills that befall the country, regardless of all other factors that contribute to such things. No, I wouldn't want to be the president for any amount of fame, glory, or money.

Two of my most favorite presidents are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Since I already dedicated a blog to Washington, we'll focus on Lincoln. Talk about intelligence. He came from nothing and rose up to become one of the greatest presidents in our history. Now some may argue that his greatness was cemented into history because of his assassination. I am sure that has something to do with it. I often wonder how he would have handled the mess after the Civil War known as Reconstruction. I don't think that period had any chance of playing out nicely in history. But I think he was a great president for what he did during his life. We talk about the chaotic economy now, but that is nothing compared to the country tearing itself in two over such hot issues that no solution seemed to be in sight. I mean, the South did establish the Confederacy and a presidency for itself after all. But Lincoln was not deterred and stood firm as the President. He never recognized the Confederacy as a separate government, but rather a group of rebellious states. He understood that the outcome of the Civil War would have long lasting affects on the nation. Many lives were lost in the cause, but he knew it was one worth sacrificing for. He fought for the abolition of slavery, knowing it's extinction would benefit and preserve the nation. Lincoln had many critics who, after watching Union defeat after Union defeat, thought him a fool to continue in the cause. But he persevered and finally found himself with some competent military leaders that helped the Union, along with other factors, achieve victory. During this all he remained the humble servant of the people. What a man!

I admire him for his intelligence, integrity, and humility. He knew his duty as President and the importance of defending the nation and people against anything or anyone that would rob them of their liberties. He did what he knew was best for the nation, often sacrificing his popularity, health, and eventually life for the cause. And yet he didn't complain or point fingers at everyone else for the mistakes that occurred during the war. And he easily could have gone on a rampage against some of his seriously idiotic generals. But he didn't. He wasn't perfect, but I don't think anyone else could have handled the Civil War like he did. How I wish we had such leaders today that were willing to sacrifice all and work to such extremes for the good of our nation.