The President is Not the Presidency

I have to hand it to President Donald Trump. He forces a stand.

So here it is:

The president is not the presidency.

For Americans, indeed for all the world, the presidency is a symbol of respect, leadership, and immense power. It represents America democracy.

The “president” pledges an oath to inhabit the presidency for the time allotted him or her by the American people. E Pluribus Unum and all that. He/she lays a hand on the Bible, asking God’s help for the wisdom, intelligence, energy, and moral rectitude to discharge the duties of the presidency.

But the president is not the presidency. The king is dead, long live the king.

Donald Trump belies all this. He does not display either the wisdom or intelligence (or at least the curiosity) required to occupy the American Presidency.

As for moral rectitude, well… Do we really need to wade into it?

I am no saint. That notion is laughable. Neither are you (except for a few who might be reading, you know who you are -).

For all the mistakes I’ve made, for all the pain I’ve caused, for every inch of space I take up on this Earth, it is my obligation to call out the abuse by Donald Trump of the Office of President of the United States.

I’m sure there isn’t a president who hasn’t, in some way, to some degree, abused the Ideal of the Presidency. All hail separation of powers. Despite its current brokenness, this was the genius of all those land-owning white guys centuries ago.

Donald Trump is in league with Richard Nixon for abuse of office.

But for being wholly unworthy of the Office of President, Donald Trump stands in a league all his own.

Do what you must. This is what I believe.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

This post first appeared on ProperlyChastised.com