AN "I" PRESIDENCY IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

by Domenick J. Maglio Ph.D. Neo Traditionalist

President Obama, You will be the president at least until 2012. Every historian will refer to the years you served as chief of the executive branch as the "Obama Presidency." There are many other elected representatives, appointed officials, advisors and the American public who are also going to be instrumental in all the achievements.

In the first 41 speeches as president you have used the word "I" 1200 times. In your speech to schoolchildren you mentioned "I" 57 times. This may be an old habit, like smoking, that is hard to break, but it is damaging to student’s understanding of how the US government works. It is not about a single individual but rather about a magnificent document that has guided us to greatness.

It is understandable that you cannot control all your underlings or supporters but you do have a responsibility to reprimand them when they are not doing what is right.

Your Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, approved a curriculum guide to go along with your speech to students. It asked these impressionable young people to write to themselves about how they were inspired by and could help President Obama. This smacks of a propaganda tactic especially when Broward County superintendent of schools mandated that all students listen to your speech or be punished. A school in Burlington, New Jersey has students sing songs specifically praising you. This was sung to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Hello Mr. President, we honor you today

For all your great accomplishments.

Another song is:

Mmm-mmm-mm
President Hussein Obama,
He said all must lend a hand
To make this country great…
mmm-mmm-mm
He said red, yellow, black and white
All are equal in his sight.

The last two lines are paraphrased from a Christian children’s song: Jesus Loves Me. The using of this line is absurd when children are not allowed to talk about God, or even pledge the flag, sing Christmas carols and certainly are not allowed to pray.

Your White House Director of Public Engagement, Buffy Wicks, arranged a national conference call with 75 members of the National Endowment of the Arts. These artists, many of who received grants were told to create artworks to support your political agenda. This year the NEA had received $170,000,000 dollars of federal money. This is wrong on so many levels. Taxpayer’s money should not be used for indoctrination of the public.

You are not reluctant to apologize to foreign countries for our imperfections as well as our achievements. These speeches do audaciously create the impression that you intend to lead the world.

The reality is you are the President of the United States not of the world. You will honor the office of the President of the United States by disassociating yourself from people in your administration and supporters who want to create a cult allegiance to you. Our constitution does everything to prevent our government falling into the hands of a despot.

George Washington, our great first president chose to relinquish power after serving his terms rather than exploiting his popularity and accomplishments to remain in power as a cult monarchist. He and other great patriots fought and sacrificed in the revolution and wanted to leave a legacy for future generations. They established a constitution restraining the power of government to better insure it serves the people rather than the politician’s greed. The three branches of government with its checks and balances and Bill of Rights was a gift to all of us.

The head of the executive branch is an important position but it was consciously not given imperial powers. Everything accomplished during any administration of a president is done in conjunction with the senate, congress and judiciary branches.

No one person, including a president, can claim he did anything by himself. It would be a foolish notion. It would demoralize citizens and many people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make America great.

A cult of personality like that behind Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, or Moammar Kaddafi would destroy our institutions. Our government is an integrated system based on principles not on a charismatic individual like was seen in communist Russia, China or Nazi Germany. These leaders were given godlike status and citizens were forced to pay tribute to them. This worshipping of any person results in repression and economic disaster. These tyrants might stay in power many years through their political organized thuggery but do nothing to help the citizens of the country.

America’s exceptionalism is derived from free and productive citizens who are protected by our constitution from an ever-increasing central government’s tendency toward corruption.

President Obama, our government schools, instead of brainwashing students should instruct them in history and civics. This will inoculate them against accepting totalitarian governments based on a cult of personality.

Dr. Maglio is the author of Invasion Within and Essential Parenting. He is a psychotherapist and the owner/director of Wider Horizons School.

Visit: www.drmaglio.com.