10 Qualities of a Great President

The role of the President of the United States is one of the most demanding and influential positions in the world. A great president must possess a unique blend of skills, character, and vision to lead effectively. Here are ten essential qualities that define a great president:

From my observations of U.S. history, I would say there are 10 qualities of a great president. They are:

1. A love of our country It would be rare to find a president who truly does not love their country, but it truly should be the number one requirement for the job. This person will be a parental figure for our country, bringing counsel and comfort. They will be the example to all other leaders within our country in the way they should act. Good leaders lead from love, not from greed or lust for power. They truly love everyone in that country, and want to help bring all to higher heights. If you look at George Washington, FDR, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln, I can't think of many men who loved their countries more. All of them showed that love in their leadership in war and in peace. Because of their love of our country, they sought to move us forward 

2. Vision of the future Each president must look to the future with a clear vision of what America will become. Presidents need to look beyond here and now, seeing the vast future of possibilities and framing a future for the country. The problems they must solve are not just the current ones that are occurring, but possible future ones. Ronald Reagan clearly saw the end of the Cold War, and prepared our country for that future. John Adams knew the only way our country would be secure and truly independent of European powers was for us to have a strong military, especially a navy. Our founders understood the need for a strong but limited government of the people. Each great president's vision of the future has led us into new heights as a country, and if we work to elect another great president, we can reach higher heights than ever before.

3. Accountability and adaptability Great presidents understand that mistakes happen, and they own up to those mistakes. They also understand there is a limit to their power. Understanding that their accountability is to the people, they are open and honest about their intentions and their actions. Great presidents own their mistakes, and then adapt to meet the needs of the time. They work to make our nation better by finding ways to be better leaders.  

4. Respect Often respect is overlooked in our search for a president. When I speak of respect, I am referring to respect for the office of the president, respect for the people who have entrusted you with great power, and respect for those who disagree with you. Too often we look at political correctness as the problem in Washington DC, but in my opinion it is a lack of respect that I find most disturbing. To have respect for someone who disagrees with you means you are willing to hear them out, and consider their opinion as well. Under the Washington administration, he leaned on Congress heavily, understanding that his presidency required power from the will of the people as expressed by their elected representatives.

5. Empathy and Compassion Great presidents bring people together. They don't blame everything on the previous administration or the opposing party. They always have their eye on one single idea: unity brings us strength. We can only build a greater nation on stronger bonds of unity.

6. Courage As commander in chief and chief executive, it is extremely important that a president have courage. Every presidency has, and every future presidency will, face tough challenges with the potential for terrifying outcomes. Millions of lives will be at stake, and with that comes the need to be courageous and strong in the face of those challenges. During his tenure as president, Lincoln faced a country torn apart, and throughout all of the trials and disappointments he held us together with courage in the face of opposition.

7. Honesty In our basic social contract as a society, we must remember that honesty and integrity are essential to our survival as a nation. As we come together, we trust each other and rely on each other for security and strength. Honesty is essential to trust. Dishonesty breaks the bonds of trust that bind us together as a nation, making us weaker as a whole. 

8. Compassion On the battlefield and here at home, each president must have compassion. Compassion for the mother who loses a son away at war. Compassion for the individual who lost their home to natural disaster. They must have compassion for each individual and see them for who they are-brothers and sisters sharing this planet. As leader of the free world, our nation still shines as an example, and part of that is the compassion and giving that we have shown and continue to show. 

9. Great communicator It’s simply impossible to be a great leader without possessing the skills of a great communicator. Whether you think of FDR, John Adams, JFK, Abraham Lincoln or Ronald Reagan, each of our great president's have been great communicators. Especially in times of trial, we have relied on our presidents to comfort us, strengthen us, and lead us forward through great speeches. Being able to clearly and persuasively articulate policies, goals, and national values is crucial for any president to unite and guide the country

10. Being a servant of the people last of all comes a reminder that they are always here to serve our country, not their own ambition. The position of president is not that of celebrity in chief, but of servant in chief. Each president should remember and respect their office. While selecting a president we should remember that this person will join the ranks of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, FDR, JFK, and Reagan.

Why I Take the Donald Trump Campaign Seriously, and You Should Too.

In the past few months we have begun the search for the next President of the United States of America. This year and a half process of deciding who will be given enormous amounts of power over human life in this country cannot be taken lightly. Who we decide to elect president will most likely have a wide range of impacts, from supreme court nominees, to military conflicts, to economic affairs. Each citizen has been given the right to vote, to help decide who that person should be. This right should never be taken lightly, as generations have fought so all may have and retain it.

Many have deemed the democratic nomination to be a shoo in for Hilary Clinton, most are not considering any other candidates for nomination. On the other side, 16 republicans have announced their candidacy. Of these 16 -which includes several governors with exceptional records, and several senators- Donald Trump is the current front runner for the republican nomination. Though many people have thought his whole presidential campaign is nothing more than a publicity stunt, many people are taking him seriously as a candidate. While I support his right to run, I am concerned with why people support him.

My recent experience with Trump supporters has made me question whether or not they even know where he stands on the issues, or if they are more anti-establishment, anti-Washington, and anti-political correctness. Trump is known for his brash talk with bold statements on issues such as immigration and veterans. He has attacked establishment mainstays like John McCain and Lindsay Graham in sometimes sophomoric ways leading many to call for apologies which never came.

Some people appreciate that unapologetic personality and think that kind of attitude is what we need to have in Washington leading our country. Others say the reason they support Trump because you know he'll do what he says. Many have told me it is because he has been such a successful businessman that we need someone who understands business in the white house. 

Those I have come in contact with have no idea where he sits on most issues aside from immigration. So where does Donald Trump stand on the issues?

Speaking about healthcare he said: "It is an unacceptable but accurate fact that the number of uninsured Americans has risen to 42 million. Working out detailed plans will take time. But the goal should be clear: Our people are our greatest asset. We must take care of our own. We must have universal healthcare."

On gun control: "I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun."

On tax reform: "If we want jobs in America, we need to enact my 5-part tax policy: kill the death tax; lower the tax rates on capital gains & dividends; eliminate corporate taxes in order to create more American jobs; mandate a 15% tax for outsourcing jobs and a 20% tax for importing goods, and enact the 1-5-10-15 income tax plan [four brackets with a top rate of 15%]."

Now he has many more stances on many more issues including abortion, education, etc. Sometimes he has stayed steady, sometimes he has flip flopped. If you are considering supporting him, please read up on what he has said over the years on the issues.

For those who are supporting him because they think he'll be outspoken and unapologetic in the White House, I would like to point you to our current president. No matter what has happened, he has been unapologetic: Benghazi, Fast and Furious, IRS, VA, the Middle East, etc. That is not how you heal America, that is how you divide it further. We need less divisiveness and more compromise among our nation's leaders.

For those who say that they support Trump because - as one person put it - "at least you know what you will get with him, or do you want some one like we have now who says what you wanna hear then does nothing?" My response is that no candidate will ever be perfect on doing everything he says he will do - that is the reality of the presidency.

Sometimes they realize they don't have the authority to do those things, often they realize there are reasons for that, and lastly we are electing a president with constitutionally limited powers, not a king. Even if Donald Trump is elected president, he won't, and can't do all of the things he claims he would do. Some of those things are not within the powers of the president to enact.

We can only consider what he has said in the past, because we have no true political record of how he would act to follow. I say this because, when considering his record, you have to consider: what record does Donald Trump have of accomplishing anything without having either a contractual obligation or a monetary incentive to accomplish it? As president he will have neither.

The real reason why he's getting a boost right now is more than likely a disgruntled GOP electorate. Early polls are no guarantee who will be the nominee by far. At this point four years ago Rick Santorum was leading in the polls. As the debates near, I encourage you to consider every candidate just as I will, where they stand on the issues now, and what they have accomplished in the past.

Please read what each candidate has done, what they say and think about what is best for all of America. This is not a time to rush onto a bandwagon because a candidate is bold or is popular. This is the time to contemplate the future of America and who we think will be best to lead it. 

You are still  allowed to support Donald Trump, but I ask that you consider all of the candidates as well. Read about them and where they are on the issues, what they have done with their time in the private sector and in office. Please take your duty as a citizen of this great nation seriously.

Should Donald Trump Be Taken Seriously?

Image Source: Flickr

On Friday morning the Huffington Post announced it had come to a decision concerning coverage of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. It stated:

"After watching and listening to Donald Trump since he announced his candidacy for president, we have decided we won't report on Trump's campaign as part of The Huffington Post's political coverage. Instead, we will cover his campaign as part of our Entertainment section. Our reason is simple: Trump's campaign is a sideshow. We won't take the bait. If you are interested in what The Donald has to say, you'll find it next to our stories on the Kardashians and The Bachelorette."

The Huffington Post's Washington bureau chief Ryan Grim also dismissed Trump as "a clownshow" earlier this week.

Donald Trump's campaign dismissed the Huffington Post as a "glorified blog" in a statement on Friday evening."The only clown show in this scenario is the Huffington Post pretending to be a legitimate news source."

The Huffington Post announcement came as Trump has begun to rise in the polls in the Republican Nomination. Much of the first month of his campaign has been surrounded in controversy over remarks he made concerning illegal immigrants from Latin American countries.

There is major concern about the amount of press Trump is recieving as it is affecting the coverage of candidates that some see as "more serious." Pointing to his high polling numbers we need to remember that Michelle Bachmann was polling even higher than Trump is today in 2011.

Often seen as an  outsider and despised by the establishment of the Republican party, many are concerned by the impact Trump will have on other candidates. Whether it is pulling attention from more well established candidates like Perry, Huckabee, Bush, and Walker, to limiting the polling of some who are getting lower numbers because they aren't as well known such as Fiorina and Kasich.

Presidential primaries shouldn't be a place for sideshows like Trump. While he is a ratings hog, he dilutes the real conversation away from candidates with a real shot at representing the core values of the nation and the Republican Party.