Gordon L. Weil
Presidents set precedents.
Or break them.
At this time of year, we celebrate Presidents’ Day, but
officially it is Washington’s Birthday in honor of George Washington. The abandonment of a patriotic memorial for a
bland, commercial holiday leads me each year to write a column to recall the
greatest president.
As the first president, Washington understood that he would
establish precedents and practices that could influence American history,
perhaps for centuries. Having been offered the chance to be king, he chose
instead to focus on developing democracy.
Asked to pick his title, the general selected “Mr. President.”
Today, many of his precedents continue, though they
increasingly face challenges, not the least from Donald Trump, his latest
successor.
The most well-known of Washington’s precedents was limiting
his service to two terms. Established in
1797 and only once challenged, this custom was enshrined in the
Constitution. It was a simple and direct
statement that the U.S. wants no king.
Democracy is a greater good than the leadership of any person.
When King George III, the British monarch who lost America,
learned that Washington would voluntarily give up the presidency, he said, “If
he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”
Upon leaving office, Washington set the precedent of an
orderly transfer of power to his successor.
He understood that popular confidence in the American system of
government depends on its reliable continuity.
Not only do elections have consequences, but consequences deserve respect.
That’s the fabric of the system.
Washington had chaired the negotiations on the
Constitution, making him not only preeminent among the Framers, but an expert
of the balance of powers within the federal government and between the federal
government and the states. He respected
the leading role of Congress in making the laws, while emphasizing his own role
as the chief executive.
He made it clear that he was in charge. Executive orders began with him, but he did
not use them as a substitute for legislation. He sent his own proposals to
Congress, and he used the veto power. He
respected Congress and delivered the first State of the Union address in
person.
In naming the heads of the executive departments and his
Supreme Court appointments, he applied two standards. Those named had to have shown high
competence, and they should have already acquired a public reputation that would
give them popular respect.
He saw the Court as the final judge of check and balances
and believed that the justices had to be people of the highest standing with
voters and have impeccable reputations.
Washington did not demand personal loyalty, though
undoubtedly he received it. He did
require commitment to the constitutional system. After all, he was leading the government of
the United States not the government of George Washington.
Washington created the Cabinet. The heads of departments would form a group
of people to discuss proposed policies with him and one another. There was no doubt that he would make the
final decisions, but he did not let his self-esteem, as modest as he was, get
in the way of listening to competing opinions. He listened more than he talked.
The Cabinet was led by Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
Hamilton, who were continually at odds, giving the president conflicting
advice, which is just what he wanted. The key issue was the size and role of
the federal government.
Washington favored a strong government, which he saw as
necessary for the U.S. to prevent local uprisings. He also favored the expansion westward of the
country. Jefferson sought an agrarian
nation with weak federal powers and modest aspirations and quit the Cabinet. As the third president, he ultimately adopted
Washington’s views.
In his historic role, Washington wanted to conduct himself
in ways that set a standard for his successors.
He remained open to contact with the public. He met with foreign representatives both to
impress upon them the growing power of the U.S. and to gain information from
them. Not surprisingly, the ex-general
was the most active commander-in-chief in American history.
Possibly possessing the highest net worth in the country at
the time, he did not flaunt his wealth. He put his business affairs entirely
aside while he held office. Despite his international standing, surprising for
the head of a new country, he avoided making claims to have special skills or
talents.
Much of this history is forgotten. To be sure, a state, a city, counties, and
avenues are named for him, but he has become a two-dimensional figure, the portrait
on the dollar bill.
Presidents’ Day has obscured the attention that Washington
deserves. What he did for the country
could continue to serve as a model for his successors, if we took the trouble
to remember.
