BrianGarst.com

In honor of President’s Day, I will ruminate on the nature of the presidency and how we perceive presidential performance. Typically, historical rankings favor appearance over outcomes and power over Constitutional caution. Those presidents that most expand the scope and power of the presidency are considered great, while those that operate within the confines of the Constitution are denigrated as weak and ineffective.

George Washington is one of the few men rightly celebrated as among our greatest presidents. His humble approach to the Presidency stands in stark contrast to others routinely ranked among the top, such as Woodrow Wilson and FDR. Others, such as Calvin Coolidge and Grover Cleveland, who promoted classical liberalism and attempted to bring the presidency back to its original conception are unfairly ranked poorly.

This false understanding of the role of the presidency is not limited to historians. It is the public that is largely responsible for the continuing devolution of the office into something becoming less and less distinguishable from tyranny. No problem is beyond the powers of the presidency to attempt to solve. No aspect of life is outside the purview of government. At the first sign of trouble, we eagerly hand our rights over to the president, then praise him for making us feel better (despite the fact that his actions almost always make things worse).

This President’s Day, let’s help break the cycle. Celebrate the men who stayed within the bounds of limited government, and stop worshiping those who ignored them.

constitution political philosophy