A Higher Standard.

[DakotaDemocrat]

I yearn for the days of my youth when, in Social Studies class, we would review the Revolutionary War, our forefathers and the making of this country.

I thought to myself how great it would be if I was up there on the wall with Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt. They were patriots and all were given the exact tribute they deserved - honor. They led this country into existence and gave us rights and documents that has guided us for generations. Back then, it was, as they said, "a more perfect union."

In my 20's, I fully realized I will never be up on walls with them in grade schools across this country. I was not worthy. To me, the President of the United States should be the pinnacle of American thought, vision and virture. As John F. Kennedy said, "We need men who can dream of things that never were."

I shudder now at the way our decendants will look at the Presidency today. Thomas Jefferson said, "An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens." What would Thomas Jefferson say today? The Presidency has become tarred by cronyism, greed and fear. It has been feathered by cowards, cheats and liars. The Office has been tarnished, forever. It has become the pinnacle of American vain, power and selfishness.

Where has our more perfect union gone? We are in need of A Higher Standard, not only for the Office, but for this country. We must give our decendants something to dream for. We must give that list of mighty men someone worthy to join them on that wall in the classroom. Someone who can views the Presidency as a protector of the republic, not as one who gets the keys to the vault.