The indispensable American

Happy Washington’s Birthday! No, I’m not mired in the past. That is still what the Federal Calendar says today is – Washington’s Birthday. It, for some odd reason, has become popular to refer to today as “President’s Day”. I don’t know why. Of the 43 presidents only George Washington has been described as “the indispensable American”.

He was described as indispensable because he refused to be made king. How many of today’s politicians would refuse unlimited power - sadly, not many. He has been described as indispensable because he had the good sense and grace to leave office after two terms a custom adhered to by presidents until FDR. After FDR, congress imposed Washington’s wisdom and grace on the office of president with the Twentieth Amendment limiting presidents and vice-presidents to two terms. Last, Washington was indispensable because he had no off-spring that could claim a right to the presidency in his father’s name. This seems wholly natural to us now, but at the founding it would have been just as natural for the son to assume the father’s office upon the father’s death.

Washington led a fledgling America to victory against the world’s super power. He shepherded a struggling democracy through the Second Constitutional Convention. He asserted federal power with a velvet fist. As our first president, Washington set the highest examples of statesmanship, political decency and leadership. He was “the indispensable American”, and though he’d probably argue otherwise, he deserves his own day. So, Happy Washington’s Birthday!