A Note to the President of the Republic of Free People

Dear Mr. President,

I assume that there is still a Republic for you to be reading this.

You have been elected to the highest single office of the land by the People of that land. You may or may not win in landslide victory and you may or may not have popular acclaim, but no matter what the tone or tenor of the populace, you were chosen by the People. And, as you have learned, this job is not what anyone had ever taught you it would be, and, indeed, eats away at your thoughts and soul as guiding a Nation of Free People is not an easy task. Popularity fluctuates and may finally give rise to you leaving office via election or at the end of the stated length given you under the Constitution. Either way, while in office, you are no longer a mere person elected to an office, but the President.

The job of President is not one of CEO of the Nation, as you have or will grimly find out. Nor is it the 'Bully Pulpit' leader of the Nation as the hard work of leading the Republic demands more than mere hot air and words. The measure of the President is not in his words, nor his cajolings, nor his nuanced approached to any policy. No, that measure is one that is used for the Republic as a whole and each and every person in the Republic: Actions. By your actions you will be remembered and by your actions you are judged not only by the People, but by those that come after you, having passed the sacred trust of Freedom onwards to the next generation. You have not been prepared for that responsibility no matter what your former position in life and you are unprepared for the harshness and finality of events as they happen. That is the job of President.

And one thing that the People hold above all else is that the Union be kept whole in a Just way and that Our enemies be given cause for fear in standing against the People. Those that wish to dissolve or dilute Our Freedom and Liberty will use many ways to do so, from kind words to harsh killing. No matter their methods, their end is the same: erode the Republic and the Will of the People and destroy Freedom and Liberty to put Tyranny in its place. The job of President is to Defend the Republic, and stop those who seek the end of this Republic of Free People we call the United States. That is your job description and you applied for it and so it is your Sworn Duty to lift up the tools handed you by the People to Defend them or seek Their help in finding Our enemies and hounding them until death and fear at the ends of the Earth.

You have your counsel with Cabinet and Foreign Leaders and Congress, but, in the end, it is you who is Responsible for this Nation. In times of Peace and Plenty, it is a light job, with little to worry about and Domestic worries that need be addressed to help smooth out the path of Liberty. You help make that path and the People add the stone and crushing force to put the actual pavement down. During Peace, it is an easy job, for all the grey hairs one will gain from it.

During times of trouble, however, the counseling of Peace is one that needs be given only slight due as the continuance of those things in such times and worry over trivialities can send the Nation into Danger and Troubles. As President, you can only do that for so long before the troubles reach into the home and heartland and start to erupt in unrest, destruction and that taking up of arms by the People to defend themselves against that. Your job is to put *that* day off as far as possible by your actions, for when *that* day arrives, you will be judged a failure and the Republic will be at an end.

When the Friends and Allies of the Union are attacked and hurt and pressed hard, the only thing you must rightly do is come to their Defense. As a People We Honor those that are Our Friends and Allies and swear that in that Friendship and Alliance that both shall be Defended so that We may Both be Free of tyranny and exercise Liberty and Freedom together. The President is given that job, also, and must come to the Defense of those that have given us dear caring and allegiance and have joined with Us to do the hard work of building a safe and secure World for Our children. That requires a full and harsh exercise of the powers given to you, the President, by We the People, even unto asking Our Congress to give rise to War and write out the Letters of Marque and Reprisal so that We the People can Honorably join you in giving Our enemies no quarter, no rest and the only end that they so richly deserve.

In times of danger and war the Nation is at risk for survival whole and entire, even if the battle is in far off lands. For when a Friend or Ally of this Union is attacked, the very bonds of Friendship, Alliance and Fealty are also being struck. And that strong cord that We have chosen through the President to hold Us to Our Friends also pulls at Us to Defend Them. If that is not done, then the Nation falls into dispute and internal chaos as we argue what it means to be a Friend of Liberty. That erodes the Nation far worse than any mere action of War, as it disunites the People and causes many to see the Nation as one that is not Just. As in any time of survival there is a credo that must be sworn and adhered to:

Take *any* action as it gets you out of your current situation. Even the WRONG action at least gives you perspective on why it is wrong so the next step may be the RIGHT one.

This job of President of the Republic requires actions and by those things We the People are given guidance so that We may know if the action is Just and if Our given bond with other Nations is upheld.

The President is not given a job of placing blame or seeking excuses. Problems handed to you by previous Administrations are your problems once you assume the Office. While legality is to be upheld, actually fixing problems is your job, no matter how long they trace their roots or how terrible the decisions need be to do that fixing. But not even *trying* to fix them leads to final dissolution of you, the word of the People and the Republic. A President may only delegate so far, but 'The Buck Stops Here", as one predecessor pointed out. And that Buck may not have started with you, but it is yours once events give it to you. The President is responsible, no matter *who* that one in office is. And the President is held accountable for actions and even held in disdain for wanton disregard of duty via inaction.

The President does not seek War lightly or for mere commercial or economic gain, save if the lifeblood of the Republic is threatened and the People held hostage by those without Honor. When taken to War the President must cite those things that are endangering We the People clearly and unmistakably and give name to those Friends and Allies at peril and the actual hurts given to the Nation via dishonorable actions of other Nations. As the President holds the full Foreign Diplomatic powers of the Union, then those things in Diplomacy known as Casus Belli *must* be cited so that We can know that this War is Just War. We seek Wars of Justice to save Our Friends and Allies so that We may be worthy of BEING their Friend and Ally. That is also the job of President.

No matter how you have come to this job, it is much, much harder than any expect it to be. The Nation demands more than what mere mortal can rightfully give, and so many Presidents give more than they can and are aged by the Office. And troubled times also make that burden much higher as the entire life of the Nation is given unto you. In those times the President must seek the Right Path and uphold the Honor of the Nation and its People. As a previous President had said: 'Never take counsel of your fears.'

As President you must find a step and TAKE IT in times of danger. Correct for a mis-step and learn the path of Right, Justice and Honor in that doing. But sitting by when Friends and Allies are at risk will damn you and the Nation you have Sworn to Defend. Never go to War lightly, but when you do, ensure that it is on a path to Victory.

For that, too, is your job as President.

And I give you the traditional closing of all such remarks, no matter WHAT your belief or lack of same may be, for that is the Path of the Republic:

May God Bless You and the United States of America

Sincerely,

A Citizen of the Republic