We have arrived at President’s Day of 2024. I wonder; what are your thoughts about the office of the President of The United States?
What is the most important function of any President?
I suppose if we asked this question on the streets of America, we would get a wide range of answers. However; today I want to focus on the most important duty of all of the President’s responsibilities. A President definitely needs to understand the mechanics of his office. I suggest we all prayerfully review those before this next election.
UNDERSTANDING THE QUALIFICATIONS
In less than a year the nation of America will be electing the person they feel is right for this very important position. The elected person will be sworn into office by taking an oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
As they enter the voting booths in November, will these often quoted important words about the duties and responsibilities of the President be what our citizens will be basing their opinions upon?
Do our citizens even KNOW the function and responsibilities of a Presidential office anymore?
Sometimes it seems we might have lost the very vital and most important parts of this whole process. We are too worried about our side and less worried about whether or not our side is qualified over the other side.
THE MECHANICS OF THE OFFICE
The best of all presidents will know and understand the mechanics of the Office of The President of the United States. The citizenship doing the electing of this man should also be well informed as to what these mechanics of office of the Presidency really are.
Somewhere in past generations of elections we seem to have lost this definition of a President.
For example; think of our past Presidents and consider which of them have taken the strongest stance toward these very clearly spelled out responsibilities we are naming below.
NOT A FIGUREHEAD WITH STRINGS ATTACHED
It does seem to many that the president has simply become a figurehead with strings attached. We have observed those strings held by the rich and powerful can be pulled at will by the most powerful and the loudest (or most heard) voices of the population instead of the majority.
I would also include the fact that this person seems to be magically elected based on the needs and wants of the most wealthy and affluent of our citizens. Would that be because they have the money to support campaigns which will benefit their own causes?
Something seems to be off-balance and out-of-order. Perhaps getting back to the basics would help us.
So let’s get back to the very basics and discuss the actual mechanics of the office of the president which all Presidents, as well as those who elect them, should be considering come Election Day:
DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
DUTY ONE
The bold and italicized words below are still supposed to be the duties of a President of The United States. These duties were determined by our founding fathers in 1787. They are found written down in the Articles of The US Constitution of The United States.
- “The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.”
COMMENTS:
In other words; the President will have an established salary. That should be his ONLY profit from this office. He should not be doing any business using the influence of his office as compensation for his personal services which bring him or anyone else personal gain, especially with another country, or a private entity.
DUTY TWO
- “Before he enters on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation: –“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
COMMENTS:
Note this speaks of The Constitution of the United States as written. It does not speak of changing it or rewording it to suit personal preferences or ways that suit the parties backing the presidency. The President is SWORN to PRESERVE, PROTECT and DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION. This would definitely include the FIRST AMENDMENT and the FOURTH AMENDMENT as well as all other Amendments of the Constitution.
Have you seen this very necessary action happening by the presidents of the past after the elections of the past? Perhaps this is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a President. This duty is critical for the country to be moving into the future.
DUTY THREE
- “The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of The United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, or the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. He shall have power by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur, and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and counsels, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.”
COMMENTS:
In other words; the President shall be over all military operations as well as the appointment of many of our highest courts and officials. His ability to judge character and strength and intellectual abilities is important. He should be considering these people’s loyalty to our nation in his choices.
It would be helpful if the next President had actually served in the military, and had studied the details of our courts and laws. Knowing and understanding the history of our country would also matter. How can he implement these decisions without that basic knowledge?
At least a president should choose the people around him with wisdom and character and not place his unqualified buddies and cronies into these offices.
Our next President will have the weighty and important ability to make treaties with other countries and global organizations. Is his understanding of them on the same page as your understanding? This duty is a very dangerous duty to be left in the hands of someone with a lack of knowledge of current international events and/or global entities who wish to seize and control others.
The President should only use this function to institute treaties that are in the best interest of our nation and its people. Treaties should be initiated and desired by the majority before they are considered by this high office. Discernment is a very valuable attribute for a President. He must be able to discern the will of the people.
DUTY FOUR
- “The President shall have the power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.
COMMENTS:
This presidential responsibility is self-explanatory. Once again, it requires good judgement and properly placed authority.
DUTY FIVE
- “He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient, he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of the adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper, he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers, he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United States.”
COMMENETS:
In other words; the President must be a good public speaker; totally aware of what is going on in the country at all times and able to address these things with clarity and a sound mind. The laws that have been established should be carried out by his cabinet; or he should address the issue. His public and private presentations should exemplify these facts. He must be able to communicate well with Congress and other public ministers and ambassadors, both nationally and globally about the laws of the United States and how we plan to enforce them when necessary or needed. He must be able to commission the right people for the right jobs at the right times. Again; true loyalty to America should be a top priority.
DUTY SIX
- The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, TREASON, BRIBERY, OR OTHER HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS.
COMMENTS:
In other words; a President must be an honest man of integrity, who upholds our laws himself. He should live before the people with unquestioned character and honesty. If not; he should not be able to hold such an important office.
BACK TO THE BASICS OF UPHOLDING THE LAWS
In a time not so very long ago Presidents were held accountable for these things. This is our established law. It is supposed to reign and rule the way we prosecute in our local to our highest courts.
In the past, Presidents had to speak truth. The words they spoke had to be carried out in actions after the elections were held. Now their words seem only to be election platform speeches which are thrown away and ignored once the votes are tumbling in.
So how did this lack of clarity happen to us?
Our Presidents were not held accountable by the citizens for understanding the mechanics of their office. Instead of using these mechanics for good and to make our citizens happy, free and prosperous; many presidents have used the mechanics of their office for achieving personal gain and/or achieving gain for groups of people who pay into supporting their campaigns.
In the election of our next President; we should return to these basics. Keeping them in mind as we vote would only serve to help this country unite and begin to heal.
Happy President’s Day!