My relationship with the President of the United States

 

Photo by Jennifer Griffin on Unsplash

Many of my political views were forged way back in the days of middle school - yep, we are talking about early 80s; I really owe a whole lot to my civics teacher. I remember distinctively the day I learned that the president of the republic was the first public servant. Up until then, I believed the president was the boss, the person in charge and that whatever he decided would come to pass, including who his successor in the presidency would be (back then, in Mexico, that was called el Dedazo).

Here in the USA, much has been said about the qualities of president Trump. One side points to the way he talks, how vulgar some of his comments are, and how he seems to have no filter. Others highlight how effectively he did his job, and how we all are enjoying the fruits of his hard work. Should I, as a citizen of this nation, be concerned that the president talks and maybe even behaves like that? Should I look only at the results in the economy, national defense, protection of the unborn, immigration? Do we really believe that previous occupants of the White House never, never used that same language? Do we really believe that previous presidents were a paramount of morality and ethics? 

Should we be concerned either way?

I have come to the conclusion, after much introspection, that the response is yes and no, for me. My relationship with the president of our nation is not similar to, for instance, the relationship I have with the fellow that makes my pizza at my local QT. In this relationship, my biggest concern is that my pizza is made in the way I ordered it through the mobile app. The political views, ethics, morals, words of the QT's employee are not a factor for me to enjoy my pizza. This is a merely transactional relationship: I give QT money and the company, through its employee, gives me a delicious pizza.

Many of our fellow citizens would like us to believe that the same principle applies to the president of this great nation of ours. As long as he is doing his job, we are told, everything else matters very little. Our relationship with the president should be also transactional, they advise us, sine the president is, after all, a public servant hired by us, the voters, to do one job. In this frame of reference, there is no much difference between the QT employee and the leader of the free world.

But, of course, there is.

Being the leader of our country comes with certain responsibilities and obligations that, even if they are not codified or explicitly expressed, they are nonetheless real, required, needed from the individual behind the Resolute desk.

Then, to determine how I should relate to the president, I need to consider what he is and what he is not. I also need to consider my own obligations in this relationship.

What the president is not:

• My moral compass
• The only example of what the system can produce
• The only metric for ethics
• The Head of the Church
• Absolute

What the president is:

• The first public servant for ALL Americans
• The first defender and upholder of our Constitution
• A source for unity - particularly in difficult times
• An example of what America is
• An example of what we want America to be

How I relate to the president:

• Through persistent prayer
• Celebrating the accomplishments of his administration that are in sync with His Beauty.
• With constructive critics when the previous point does not take place
• Giving ALL my civics duties their right importance

There is no one who will fulfill this office perfectly but, as Americans, we can always dream about it and, then, get to work toward that goal. That, after all, has been the American way since the beginning.

Consider this.

Where do you get your moral and ethic guidance from?

What are the main obstacles for your civic engagement?

Can you celebrate and give constructive criticism, always with respect?