Barack Obama was only the 17th President elected to a 2nd term and only the 14th to serve at least two complete terms (Lincoln and McKinley were assassinated and Nixon resigned during their second terms). So, while our last 3 Presidents (Obama, Bush, and Clinton) and 4 of the last 5 (add Reagan) were elected to and served a second term, that is not the historical norm but rather a more recent trend. While it is way too early to begin handicapping the odds of President Trump's potential second term, history shows that it is far from a sure thing.
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Why isn't Inauguration Day a National Holiday? It's probably the most amazing part of our living consititution and democracy. We have a peaceful transition of power that is unbroken since George Washington. There is nothing else like it in the world which is so long lasting. I think we can afford one extra holiday every four years.
Yes, some people will take it as a vacation day, but more are sure to tune in to watch at least the oath and inauguration speech. Kids will be off from school and parents can watch with them. More folks would be willing to attend in person. It would help stimulate the economy. Heck, if we can't afford a new holiday, move President's Day every four years to January 20th. The Republican ticket of Trump/Pence is the first winning GOP ticket since 1928 that did not have a Nixon or a Bush on the ticket. How long ago was that? The 1928 ticket featured Herbert Hoover and Charles Curtis.
We grow up celebrating and believing that the birth of our nation was indisputably established on July 4, 1976. Yet, we also grow up with the undeniable belief that George Washington was the first President of the United States and, thus, the "Father of our Country." There's a disconnect between these two well established truths. If 1776 is indeed the birth of our great nation, then there are 13 forgotten government years between the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the implementation of the Constitution in 1789 (the Constitution was ratified in 1788 with the understanding the first Government would commence in March, 1789). George Washington was, in fact, the first Constitutional President. So, was there an official US government prior to March, 1789?
The answer is yes. The Articles of Confederation governed. Although the Federal Government was much weaker under these Articles, and even though the Articles were replaced, should we ignore that they were ratified and implemented? Virginia was the first state to ratify the Articles, so arguably Virginia should be recognized as the first state rather than Delaware. In November, 1981, John Hanson became the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled, under the Articles of Confederation. So, should John Hanson be recognized as our first President? Probably not, since there wasn't an Executive Branch under the Articles and the position was largely ceremonial. President Hanson did establish Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November so we should offer some credit where credit is due (Thanksgiving would not become an official holiday until almost 100 years later under President Abraham Lincoln in 1863). If you're interested in more, here you go: https://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-articles-of-confederation/john-hanson-story/ |
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