The Edumication of the President
June 2, 2001
by JM

Education has always been important to me. I grew up in a well educated family, with grandparents that either went to college, or required my parents and my generation to pursue education. I have an 80+ year old grandmother and a 95 year old Great Aunt that still attend University level courses (for audit). My Great Aunt was the oldest in her computer class by some 60 years. I still remember the words of my paternal Grandfather, who I considered quite wise despite his never finishing high school. It was always "Get those A's" and "It wouldn't be called 'Home-Work' if it were easy". I am very fortunate to have those influences.

Today I decided it was time to revisit some of my earlier reading. I went to www.fedworld.gov, the supposed online warehouse of all things federal, and couldn't find it. I went to the www.whitehouse.gov website, and the site wouldn't even load until the 5th try. Not on the White House site either. I went to the www.senate.gov site, but I didn't find it there. Finally, I hit paydirt at the www.house.gov website. The U.S. Constitution, buried beneath a link for Educators, was finally available for my perusal.

I am fairly familiar with the intent and content of the U.S. Constitution. I will admit I do not know it verbatim, then again, I probably know it better than Al Haig. All I wanted to do today was confirm my suspicions that the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government comes AFTER the Legislative Branch. The full detail of the responsibilities of the Chief Executive are outlined only after the roles and responsibilities of the House and Congress are defined.

"He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; " - Article II, Section 3, U.S. Constitution

I wish President Bush had a family like mine. He would then have known that "recommend to their consideration" is fundamentally and substantially different from "beat them about the head with a political club and threaten them with a horde of evil minions until they submit to the agenda he sets forth". Then again, considering he basically partied his way through two Ivy League institutions, he may not be able to pronounce or understand some of the words. And before I move on, does anyone else find it ironic that the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were the result of action or inaction on the part of King GEORGE?

Perhaps we could take up a donation to purchase the complete set of U.S. Constitution Cliff Notes for the Bush Administration. I also checked on www.dummies.com and found U.S. History for Dummies is only $19.95. No too much to ask to help correctify the Executative Branch.

Then again, he only need go back as far as George Bush Sr.'s reelection attempt to recall the saying "It's the economy, stupid". I would change it though. It's the American taxpaying public, stupid.