Posted by Everyone thinks they know what it takes to be President of the United States. Admit it, you’ve complained about the current President and his predecessor and with great pride and confidence: I could do a better job than those Bozos. I know I have. But let’s get practical. If we had to submit a resume to the voters of this nation, what should it look like if we wanted to really qualify for the job? This post is the first of a number of posts that will identify the job qualifications we should have.
Let’s start with the Constitution. Article 2 lists the requirements that the Founders specified for the Executive Branch. These requirements clearly imply knowledge and skills that an applicant for the job should possess. Since there are many duties for the President, I’ll focus on a few that current presidential candidates should focus on.
The first clause of Section 1 of Article 2 vests the executive power to one person, the President. As Commander in Chief, the President is the highest-ranking officer of the military. At the time the Constitution was ratified, the Army and Navy were the total “department of defense”. Clearly this has been expanded. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and let’s not forget Space Command, “It’s a great place to start.”. Clearly, we need to know details about the Department of Defense.
In Article 2, Section 2, the president is given the power, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to establish treaties with other nations. The current State Department lists 197 nations we work with. Obviously, the Department of State is a key Executive Department. We need a deep understanding of the work of the State Department if we hope to qualify for the Presidency. How we demonstrate knowledge and skills in this area will be a real challenge.
On September 2, 1789, the Department of the Treasury was established. “That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to digest and prepare plans for the improvement and the management of the revenue, for the support of public credit; …”. Wow! If they could see us now. If we told our Founders that the current national debt is over $34 trillion and our current national GDP is about $28 trillion, do you think Alexander Hamilton, the first Treasury Secretary, would laugh, cry, or drop dead (again)? A presidential candidate had better have some brilliant ideas to fix this problem.
Of course, one of the most telling clauses in Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1 states: he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices. Can you imagine how many opinions need to be communicated? And what constitutes an opinion? This question on the opinion needs to be examined. Using my handy Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, let’s look at the definitions of opinion.
1) A belief or judgement based on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
Guaranteed this is not the kind of Opinion we want about Russia, China, or Israel.
2) A personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
Pretty sure Trump is comfortable with this; just check his tweets.
3) The formal expression of a professional judgement: a second medical opinion.
This definition seems reasonable, but what should the President know for this type of opinion to be meaningful. If the President does not have sufficient knowledge to evaluate this opinion, the opinion must be accepted without challenge. This brings us to,
4) The formal statement by a judge or court of the principles used in reaching a decision on a case.
Once a judge explains the decision on a case, the formal decision is accepted as gospel by the plaintiff; they get what they want. Is that similar to the Opinion of a Department Secretary given to the President. Maybe that’s why Secretaries get dismissed during an Executive Term. If their Opinions don’t support the President’s agenda, even though the Opinion is based on solid facts and sound reasoning, they get axed.
There’s no need to consider definitions 5 and 6. The first four capture the essence of the problem. Determine the depth of knowledge required for the President to read, understand, and decide a course of action based on a Department Opinion. How can a voter make a responsible decision in voting for a presidential candidate? Well, maybe definitions 5 and 6 for opinion are applicable.
5) A judgement or estimate of a person or thing with respect to character, merit, etc.
6) A favorable estimate; esteem.
This is exactly how elections are decided based on campaign propaganda. The objective of reducing voters’ views to feelings is the established approach of campaign managers, Political Action Committees, and the media (all forms). Don’t believe me? Here’s a quote from Theodore White’s The Making of the President 1960:
“To become known, to be identifiable in terms of their own gut reactions, is perhaps the most expensive and necessary condition of American Presidential politics. People cannot vote for a candidate unless they recognize him; …Yet the purchase of recognition, or the staging of those performances that excite publicity, are rich men’s games.”
Until the next time, “Good night and good luck” [Edward R. Morrow]
Joe Allen 