The buck stops here

That line right there, as definitive and well intentioned as it might have been, perhaps best illustrates the greatest weakness of our modern government.  And by modern, I’m willing to go back as far as the 1950’s.

In one word- accountability.  Truman meant to say responsibility was his, he was taking ownership of the consequences of governmental choices.  Too bad he chose the wrong system of government for it.  I suggest a benevolent dictatorship, perhaps in a nice tropical country.  A good friend of mine would be happy to recommend a few.

Ours is a Republic, democracy our chosen tool, and with our division of leadership, no one person should be the subject of all our expectations and scrutiny.  Indeed, all of them should be.  The Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches should all be held accountable for their performance and choices. 

We should be holding the Supreme Court to task for their rulings, Congress should be scrutinized for their reasoning and the President. .. well, what should we do with the Quintessential Everyman?  We blame him, of course.

By Dan Granot

I chose the Shorter Whitman because of his work, "Song of Myself" and because of my self-deprecating sense of humor. I am under no illusion that I can write successful essays or poetry, but I have been known to write them anyway.

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