Saturday, March 7, 2020
Given the deterioration of a common sense of Ameri Essays
Given the deterioration of a common sense of Ameri Essays Given the deterioration of a common sense of American identity and the bitter polarization in politics, we need a nationally unifying figurehead who can transcend politics and represent all Americans. The solution I suggested is to separate the position of head of state from head of government, as is done in many democracies. The king can remain the chief executive, as provided for by the Founding Fathers, and fully indulge in his elbow-throwing political nature. A new position, which I labeled "First Citizen," would take on all non-constitutionally mandated activities, such as meeting other heads of state for social purposes, speaking at national tragedies and national celebrations, and the like. The First Citizen would have no executive authority of any kind. The real thrust of my article was to explore a different path, perhaps a counterintuitive one, to a more limited conception of the president, and in a symbolic way inculcate the spirit of smaller government. From one perspective, such a change seems minor and unnecessary. Even if the country did agree to the position of First Citizen, what would it matter? A new face presiding over a few ceremonies, welcoming a Super Bowl champion, pardoning some Thanksgiving turkeys, and the like. That's surely irrelevant to the issues of the day, and couldn't possibly be the solution to our governing challenges. Or could it?
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