“The job of the President is to make Americans’ lives better.”
Note: this was supposed to be a Quick Thought. Once again, it didn’t turn out that way.
Really? That’s the main purpose of being President? That line, by the way, was from US Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on ” This week with Georgie Steaphanopoulos” back on March 16, 2018
Hmmm. Now I realize that I’m not bonafide Constitutional scholar but I do read it, I bet, much more often than most. I am confused, however, as I’ve never read that in the US Constitution. He’s a sitting Senator (been there so long I can’t understand why he hasn’t already calcified in place), and he and I (both of us being elected officials) swore oaths of allegiance to protect said Constitution – wouldn’t that ALSO mean knowing what it says and doing nothing that would violate its precepts.
So what does the Constitution actually say about his duties?
Article II (Article I describes Congress, III describes the Judiciary; emphasis mine):
Section 1.
The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected, as follows…Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:–“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
“The job of the President is to make Americans’ lives better.” – was it here? Er, nope.
Section 2.
The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.
He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.
The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.
Now? “The job of the President is to make Americans’ lives better.” – was it here? Er, nope.
Section 3.
He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United States.
“The job of the President is to make Americans’ lives better.” – was it here? Nope, still waiting to see Chuckie Schumer’s words of the President’s primary job description. You’d a thunk that being an almost calcified Senator (almost old enough to have known at least a couple of the Founders personally, eh? Hah!) he wouldn’t be making any kind of mistake here, right? Right?
NOTE THIS: The main job of the Presidency is…did you catch it? I did bold it for your edification and enjoyment. Here it is again:
that the laws be faithfully executed
Hmm – it seems that Schumer, as he often is, has said something wrong vis-a-vis the actual Constitution. Congress makes Law – he just makes sure that the Executive Branch actually carries out their laws. If he is simply executing the Law, there is no responsibility to better others. Why?
Chuckie is completely wrong – it is HIS branch of the three that has the responsibility he claims is that of the Presidency. If the Law makes Americans’ lives better (like the recently passed Tax Reform Act that “allowed” taxpayers to keep more of their own money, so be it. If the Law they pass makes it worse, they never seem to own up to it (like when they ruined the lives of all those yacht makers and marina workers when they pass, a few decades ago, higher taxes on high end boats. The Rich simply spent their money on other things – workers lost their jobs and shipbuilders and marinas went out of business – NO one was helped except those that wished retribution on the Rich…and missed and hurt ordinary workers).
It is sad that for most people, they probably took in his line, hook, and sinker completely as our public education system has failed American Society completely in them area of civics. And for those teachers that would argue vehemently with that assertion, let me know. Let’s you and I go to a shopping center and do man-in-the-street interviews and let’s see what the answers are, shall we? Happy to do that. In fact, I’ll come to your school – just let me pick the class to go in and ask. Betcha I’ll be more right than wrong about this.
And then let’s go to a batch of homeschoolers and some online students and private school kids – I’m willing to bet we’d see a statistical difference. Who is up for this bet?
Now, with the Democrat / Socialist version of a Living Constitution, maybe that would be true. After all, they all revere the office when one of them is inhabiting in Oval Office and it has become clear to me that they see that person as “Daddy-in-Chief” and who wouldn’t agree that one of Dad’s responsibilities is to provide for their family and make life better for his family.
That is, if a family is supposed to have a Dad. Listening to Democrats, that’s not necessary needed nowadays. In fact, their policies often time, when viewed from the 50,000 foot level, it seems like the only Daddy that a family actually needs is……well, Government.
Sigh….yet every study worth its salt says that the nuclear family is best and is certainly best for the children. In fact, it is one of the elements of staying out of poverty – finish school, get a job, get married, then children. I added another – get a house, then have kids. *I* was responsible for making my family’s lives better; I’d like to think I succeeded more often than not.
No
This last Section, with Trump in the Oval Office, I know that Schumer knows every single syllable and is on his knees every night praying for:
Section 4.
The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
Sadly, “The job of the President is to make Americans’ lives better.” unless of course, he holds that in being impeached, President Trump being removed from office would make Americans’ lives better. Just in time to recreate the peanut farmer and community-organizer Malaise?
(H/T: Cornell Law)
