It seems to me that it has been a long time since we have had a President in office who was more interested in serving America than in serving himself. There is a continuum that runs from Statesman to Self-service. Every President fits somewhere on that line.
The very best lean far to the Statesman end, putting the best interests of America ahead of all else. Recent Presidents group around the Self-serving end, pushing personal agendas, disregarding the will of the very citizens who elected them, and amassing great wealth in the process of exercising their power.
The very first Statesman was George Washington. He was followed by some great leaders, and some less so, but all American patriots and servants of will of the People. Not perfect, but all Americans. Perhaps the last two Statesmen were Kennedy and Raegan. You may want to add one or two, but they would be arguable, even given a span of almost three decades since Raegan left office.
The American President is not a figurehead. He is a working leader of our country and a strong influence in the free world. Potential Presidents may come to our attention through a combination of political machinery and media attention, but each one comes to office only by the vote of the American people.
Neither candidate for President in this election comes close to being a Statesman. One hoped that, once the primary cycle had ended and the race between the people’s choices began in earnest, the candidates would settle down to addressing the issues that plague our country. That has not happened. Neither candidate displays the slightest Presidential demeanor, the firm but calm determination of a great leader, or the problem solving capacity to work effectively in a two-party political system.
Third party hopefuls make bumps in the road, but they, too, offer no real solutions.
Still, in spite of the candidates’ shortcomings, they are the candidates we have selected. It is our obligation to select one to assume the awesome role of President of the United States. We must vote. We are not voting for saints, or for a candidate that thinks exactly as we do. That candidate does not exist. We are voting for the leader of the United States of America. Failure to do our part will help assure failure on their part as they realize that the will of the People is a myth.
Insofar as possible, hold the candidates to policies and proposed solutions. We hold the keys to the office, and until we exercise our citizenship, we have thrown that power away. Talk, blogs, posts mean very little. The vote is the key.