Inauguration Day Warning

Early in 1788, George Washington made what I think is a prophetic observation. 

He was sharing his thoughts about what if any danger he perceived implicit to the then newly constituted office of President of the United States of America.

The recently completed Constitutional Convention had gone through every conceivable intellectual, political, sociological and etymological hoop before finally promulgating Article II.

The phantom that had bedeviled the framers as they did their job was how would they define the powers of the imminent executive such that he could effectively govern while at the same time cutting off every conceivable route for that executive to evolve into a king.

Washington had thoughts.  

In a letter to Lafayette in April of 1788 Washington said: "There cannot, in my judgement, be the least danger that the President will by any practicable intrigue ever be able to continue himself one moment in office, much less perpetuate himself in it; but [in modern parlance substitute 'except' for 'but'] in the last stage of corrupted morals and political depravity; and even then there is as much danger that any other species of domination would prevail. Though, when a people have become incapable of governing themselves and fit for a master, it is of little consequence from what quarter he comes".

Rather than becoming great again - we already are, as judged by the number of people who want to come here to live and prosper, we have just become plug dumb.

But wait; there's more: we are also "in the last stage of corrupted morals and political depravity".

And, maybe even, "incapable of governing". 

8 November 2024 being exhibit A.

Happy donnie day.

Day after tomorrow.