§ ≡ A section of Preserve, Protect, and Defend: Faithfully Executing the Office of the President
{Section 5.1 « Section 5.2 » Section 5.3}
The Presidential Election of 2008 was the 56th consecutive instance of American Presidential Election, beginning with George Washington's unanimous election in 1789. Such an unbroken sequence of successful performances of what is arguably the single most important aspect of a constitutional republic is in itself one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of Western civilization.
Many have hailed the election of America's first African-American President as a historic achievement. There is no question that it is historic in nature. But I would argue that it is not properly an achievement unless those voting intended it to be their goal. In the latter case, I would not begrudge those segments of the electorate their pride in succeeding to elect America's first black President. I would only point out that the underlying motive for their achievement is dubious, in the sense that it confuses two distinct concepts: accomplishment and result. The election of America's first black President is most definitely a result to be proud of; but I do not view it as a properly constituted accomplishment.
The Constitution of the United States does not discuss motives, but it does prescribe purposes and procedures. And the election of any person of a specific race, religion, gender, or any particular sexual orientation is nowhere prescribed in the Constitution. Only a candidate's age and, in the case of Presidential election, the candidate's natural-born American citizenship and number of Presidential terms served is specified and limited.
None the less, the electorate requires motivation for choosing a candidate to vote for. If we consider what Mortimer Adler called the "American Testament", namely the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, I submit that a reasonable basis for choosing a President would be to vote for that candidate who, in the judgment of each voter is best qualified to insure "that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth" on his or her watch.
There will be many more "firsts", god willing, in American Presidential-election history. The election of our first black President may very well rank as the most significant such first, given our history of slavery and its legacy. Perhaps the first election of a woman will occur in the near future. And no doubt many people will hail that as a historic achievement too. In every such case to come (with varying historical significance and in no particular order of preference), be it the first Hispanic President or the first Jewish President, or even the first gay-liberal-left-handed-95-year-old-twice-divorced-poet President, it may be occasion for celebration. But it will not constitute an achievement. Nor should it be so considered, in my considered opinion. The successful functioning of our American Constitutional Republic over the course of 220 (often turbulent) years (and counting) is all the achievement any American needs to feel good about our country's form of government.
{Section 5.1 « Section 5.2 » Section 5.3}
The Presidential Election of 2008 was the 56th consecutive instance of American Presidential Election, beginning with George Washington's unanimous election in 1789. Such an unbroken sequence of successful performances of what is arguably the single most important aspect of a constitutional republic is in itself one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of Western civilization.
Many have hailed the election of America's first African-American President as a historic achievement. There is no question that it is historic in nature. But I would argue that it is not properly an achievement unless those voting intended it to be their goal. In the latter case, I would not begrudge those segments of the electorate their pride in succeeding to elect America's first black President. I would only point out that the underlying motive for their achievement is dubious, in the sense that it confuses two distinct concepts: accomplishment and result. The election of America's first black President is most definitely a result to be proud of; but I do not view it as a properly constituted accomplishment.
The Constitution of the United States does not discuss motives, but it does prescribe purposes and procedures. And the election of any person of a specific race, religion, gender, or any particular sexual orientation is nowhere prescribed in the Constitution. Only a candidate's age and, in the case of Presidential election, the candidate's natural-born American citizenship and number of Presidential terms served is specified and limited.
None the less, the electorate requires motivation for choosing a candidate to vote for. If we consider what Mortimer Adler called the "American Testament", namely the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, I submit that a reasonable basis for choosing a President would be to vote for that candidate who, in the judgment of each voter is best qualified to insure "that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth" on his or her watch.
There will be many more "firsts", god willing, in American Presidential-election history. The election of our first black President may very well rank as the most significant such first, given our history of slavery and its legacy. Perhaps the first election of a woman will occur in the near future. And no doubt many people will hail that as a historic achievement too. In every such case to come (with varying historical significance and in no particular order of preference), be it the first Hispanic President or the first Jewish President, or even the first gay-liberal-left-handed-95-year-old-twice-divorced-poet President, it may be occasion for celebration. But it will not constitute an achievement. Nor should it be so considered, in my considered opinion. The successful functioning of our American Constitutional Republic over the course of 220 (often turbulent) years (and counting) is all the achievement any American needs to feel good about our country's form of government.
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