This Monday is Presidents Day
Since April 30, 1789, this country has had a President. Washington to Obama makes 44 individuals. And then there was Grover Cleveland our 22nd & 24th President. At the end of Cleveland’s first term in 1889, Mrs. Cleveland turned to the servants at the White House, as she was leaving and said “we will be back,” she was right.
Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th President of the United States.
Their lives were hard in the early years of the Presidency as the seat of Government was moved from New York to Philadelphia to something that was to be called the District of Columbia. A piece of ground between Virginia and Maryland, we now call Washington, D.C., the District or many other things when we get angry. The District was named to honor Columbus, but re-named Washington City for George Washington after his death.
President’s for the first 150 years were plagued by office seekers and members of Congress seeking some favor for an individual or their states. Not much has changed but access to get to the President has become nearly impossible. People in the 19th Century could walk right into the White House (The Executive Mansion as it was known before 1901) and ask to meet with the President. Limits on their powers and flexibility on what they can do has also been limited by Congress in an effort to place some checks and balances in our system of government.
We use to honor President’s such as Washington and Lincoln on their birthday’s February 12th & 22nd but Congress felt we should honor all former President’s with one day in February.
George Washington, 1st President of the United States.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States.
Four President’s have surrender their lives in performing their duties, all died by assassin’s bullets. Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy. Others have die in office like William H. Harrison who only served 31 days to Franklin D. Roosevelt who served longer than any other man.
Presidents have the burden of organizing a government after they are elected. The former President takes all their papers and files with them, the new President come to an empty desk and always a large list of problems. He only has ideas that he wishes to develop into policy and supporters who will help him achieve his goals.
Presidents George H. W. Bush, Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton, and Carter in Oval Office.
It has been an honor to have worked for 5 President’s; I have enjoyed it, but still don’t understand why an individual would want such a job with the problems and dangers that the job comes with.
Once a year we honor these men, showing them the respect they deserve, honor them, fly the Flag!