Responsible Leadership Lessons From Our Past Presidents
Theodore Roosevelt (26th President of the United States) believed that in a democracy, where the people are sovereign, the leaders necessarily reflect the character of the people. If our leaders are not doing what they are elected to do, then maybe we the People of the United States should ask ourselves: How is our character?
Are we following the things that are destroying America, e.g., prosperity-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life.
If we expect our leaders to have high character, then let’s start with ourselves. Let us first become people of high character. Let’s set an example for our leaders.
For us to have responsible leaderships in our government we must first be responsible citizens.
Andrew Jackson (7th President of the US) valued two things in life above all others: his country and his family. He saw little distinction between the two, and his instinct to fight and to defend both drove him from obscure birth in the Carolinas to the pinnacle of power.
A person of high character can achieve greatness. A person of high character can become a responsible leader.
“And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy (35th President of the US)
It is up to us the citizens of the United States to make our country great once again.
God bless the USA!
3 responses so far ↓
scientificleader // December 14, 2008 at 10:04 pm
You’re really optimistic that the ruling class isn’t more than what Ben Franklin said – that democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what’s for dinner. We’re certainly not the “Great Satan”, but can you see how, when we break our own laws (Constitution) and meddle in other people’s internal affairs (e.g. puppet rulers like the Shah of Iran) that the violent overloads show their cards for what they are? Even Dishonest Abe has been shown to be a liar, theif and has blood on his hands over the Civil war that other countries avoided by ending slavery without bloodshed.
More here http://blog.scientificleader.com/2008/12/14/great-satan-or-savior-what-do-two-views-of-american-government-leadership-mean-to-you/
responsiblepoliticalleadershipcolorado // December 15, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Thank you for the comment. I agree with you that our country made mistakes in the past, and still making some. And sometimes I disagree with our country’s pick and choose foreign policies. But of all the countries I truly believe that our nation and its citizens have high character and most generous spirit. Despite many flaws, our country and its citizens are great. As to Lincoln, the major cause of Civil War was not the slavery, but to prevent the USA from disintegrating.
Kate Boltenkov // December 16, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Well, the writing is good altogether like the person who responded to you it’s optimistic. If this would be true and if people would actually act this way than this country would be living it in a dream! I think that people especially these days are not thinking about how they can help their country, if there are few they won’t be able to make a difference, among the rest of the people who I think is solely looking up to their political leaders for help. This is why peole elect their leader every 4 or 8 years to lead the country, it usually takes one person to either make things right or mess it up.