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steve robertshaw's avatar

The text you included from Judge Chutkan's ruling was enlightening. I especially liked her referencing George Washington. His sentence beginning with the warning about "cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men will be willing to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroylng afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion...." is incredibly applicable to what actually transpired with Trump 220 years later. She really nailed it.

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TomD's avatar

It's a little foggy in my recollection, but I think George Washington actually coined the term "president" to replace "king." One who presides.

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steve robertshaw's avatar

You made me look it up! Apparently, the term had existed for a long time in Europe, but was first applied to the single head of a government at Washington's inauguration in 1789. It was used in the wording of the Constitution and, at the urging of James Madison, in the oath of office. He was certainly the first leader of a government to have that formal title.

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David Court's avatar

Thanks for the research. Obviously, TFG does not think it should it apply to him, unless it buys him something.

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Kathleen Weber's avatar

The officer who presided over the Articles of Confederation Congress was called the president.

We had a local gotcha question— who was the first president of the United States? The answer was John Hanson. Our local junior high school was named for him. BTW, my brother was the star pitcher on their champion baseball team c 1964.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hanson

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Dec 4, 2023
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steve robertshaw's avatar

Right, the title was in common use for a long time. What I should have said is Washington was the first single head of a Republic (read : nation) to be called President.

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Jim Galbraith's avatar

Really enjoying this comment and thread, thanks! To me, Washington's stepping down and establishing the precedent for a peaceful transition of power is the most sublime individual political act in US history (I am sure others could make compelling cases for other acts - don't mean to discount others).

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CW Stanford's avatar

Has Trump ever ventured an opinion on Washington? He would not like to be upstaged by the long-dead General, would he?

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Jeff the Original's avatar

Yes...Trump believes he's the one who invented the $1 bill.

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Douglas Peterson's avatar

And don't forget his victorious recapture of the airports from the British.

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Sumi Ink 🇨🇦's avatar

He would say that Washington was a chump for imposing a 2-term limit on himself when he could have been king.

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Newton’s 2nd Law's avatar

“Yes, George, really good guy who’s been doing some good things and getting talked about.” DJT 🤓

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steve robertshaw's avatar

HaHa!!!! As consolation for tRump's weakening our government, he's given us a comedy goldmine.

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Eric Stoffle's avatar

I think Trump shies away from principled figures. The whole cannot tell a lie story about Washington contradicts his lack of ethics and morals.

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rlritt's avatar

It sure is. He understood what unprincipled men could be like.

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