Written by Frank Li
I believe I have the most accurate diagnosis for America (Diagnosis for America (Version 3)) as well as the best solution (Solution for America (Version 3)).
The most essential part of my solution is to limit the American Presidency to one term (e.g. six years). The key reason: America can simply no longer afford to have a President who, throughout the first term, works solely towards his (or her) own re-election, while causing tremendous damage to America!
1. Term limit for the American Presidency
There was no term limit for the American Presidency until 1947, when Congress passed the Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, limiting the American Presidency to two terms.
What was the trigger for that amendment? FDR managed to get himself elected to the American Presidency four times! Before FDR, no American President served for more than eight years, thanks to the excellent example set by George Washington!
It has become obvious that two terms are one term too many! Why? Because most Presidents have been too self-serving throughout their first terms! More specifically, too many Presidents have caused too much damage to America throughout their first terms, thanks to efforts devoted to getting re-elected ad nauseam!
2. The accountability of the American Presidency
Few American Presidents, so far, have been accountable to America (vs. themselves) throughout their first terms! Two main reasons:
- The President, by human nature, is self-serving first, meaning simply that throughout the first term, his main goal has been to get re-elected ad nauseam, even if it means destroying America in the long-run!
- Unless America’s best interests happen to be aligned with the American President’s personal interests, no President can ever be expected to do what’s best for America (vs. himself) throughout the first term!
One obvious way to align these two interests is to eliminate the second term from the American Presidency! Any doubt? Just look at the damage “getting re-elected ad nauseam” has done to America, by the American Presidents!
3. Getting re-elected ad nauseam by the American Presidents
All American Presidents, after reaching the pinnacle of power, work for one purpose only: legacy, of which one key criterion has been to get re-elected, at any price for most!
In a previous post (Diagnosis for America (Version 3)), I highlighted three examples: JFK, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, in terms of getting re-elected ad nauseam.
More bad news for America: These three Presidents represent the “rules”, not the exceptions – They have just been the worst, so far!
Any doubt? Let me highlight all of the post-WWII American Presidents, in terms of getting re-elected ad nauseam:
- Harry S. Truman: After succeeding FDR in 1945, he did everything possible to win his first Presidential bid in 1948, including the introduction of the Truman Doctrine in 1947, which should have been, and will surely be, more questioned by historians (Democracy Prevailed over Communism, Really?). He chose not to run for re-election in 1952 for several reasons (e.g. China’s fall to communism in 1949 and the Korean War). Note that Truman’s inherited term from FDR was exempted from the 22nd Amendment as his Presidency started before the amendment.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower: He is perhaps best known for his farewell speech (Eisenhower’s Farewell Address), in which he explicitly warned us against the MIC (Military-Industrial Complex). Unfortunately, as the only general elected to the Presidency in the 20th century, he significantly contributed to the growth of the MIC in the first place!
- John F. Kennedy: By signing Executive Order 10988 on January 17, 1962, allowing public-sector unions, JFK maximized his chance of re-election in 1964, at the expense of America’s future: a spectacular failure down the road, city by city and state by state, as we have been experiencing over the past decade, at least! For more, read: Diagnosis for America (Version 3).
- Lyndon B. Johnson: He chose not to run for re-election in 1968, but the destruction he perpetrated on America with his Great Society is still hurting America and will eventually bankrupt the nation!
- Richard Nixon: He did everything possible for his re-election in 1972, including signing, timely in 1971, the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18. This amendment must be repealed (Solution for America (Version 3)), as two wrongs do not make one right: the Vietnam War was wrong (and hence sending our 18-year-old kids to Vietnam was wrong), but so was lowering the voting age from 21 to 18, because it significantly enhanced the pool of Stupid Voters, pushing the country further to the left, perpetually! He resigned after the Watergate scandal, which, in hindsight, was not really necessary as he won by landslide in 1972. But he did it anyway to maximize his chance!
- Gerald Ford: He became the President after Nixon’s resignation, and lost his only Presidential bid in 1976.
- Jimmy Carter: He failed to be re-elected in 1980, but the damage to America was done by then, such as the CRA (Community Reinvestment Act), which was the real underlying cause behind the housing bubble that burst in 2008!
- Ronald Reagan: He was, overall, the best President after WWII! Unfortunately, the MIC grew amok under him and he received too much credit for ending the Cold War. For more, read: Democracy Prevailed over Communism, Really?
- George H. W. Bush: He tried his best for re-election, including breaking his promise of “read my lips – no new taxes”, but lost largely because of Ross Perot’s 3rd-party candidacy that diluted the Republican vote.
- Bill Clinton: He amended the CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) to its current, lethal form, which was the real cause behind the housing bubble that burst in 2008! For more, read: The Myth of The Bill Clinton Presidency.
- George W. Bush: He recklessly launched the Iraq War in March 2003, at least partially for the sake of his re-election in 2004! For more, read: Diagnosis for America (Version 3).
- Barack Obama: He played both the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan for his re-election in 2012! For more, read: Diagnosis for America (Version 3).
4. Discussion
As you may have noticed already, the steps taken by the American Presidents for the sole purpose of getting re-elected ad nauseam have become more apparent and much more destructive to America over time, with even starting or perpetuating foreign wars among the tactics being used over the past 15 years!
Why is that? The rise of BRICS as formidable economic competitors to the West! Because of that, America is no longer the economic monopoly in the world, as it was throughout the second half of the 20th century. As a result, the flaws of our political system have become more and more apparent and ominous!
In short, it’s time to amend the 22nd Amendment with another amendment, limiting the American Presidency to one term, preferably six years!
Why six years? That’s another subject for another day, because it is related to a big subject: raising the statutory requirements for the American Presidency, such as the minimum age to 55 and only after having served as a state governor for one full term, at least. All of the related subjects will be specifically addressed in my future posts …
5. Closing
America, reform our political system as I have suggested (Solution for America (Version 3)), or become an also-ran, second to China!
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