As I write this, the nation has endured over two months of Donald Trump as President. Still, there are those who insist that, nationally speaking, the apocalypse is lurking around the corner if we cannot rid ourselves of this disaster of a leader.
Well, I am here to tell you that history tells us we will survive as a nation with this inexperienced, boorish buffoon as our leader. What history relates is that we have managed to overcome far worse in our 240 plus years of independence. To all those #Never Trumpers, still disbelieving Democrats, Hillary and Bernie devotees, liberals of all stripes and Republicans who are aghast at the hijacking of their party by The Donald, the past proclaims our ability to rise above the individuals who hold the highest office in the land.
We have survived the incompetents. Several of our Presidents, in spite of their abilities, managed to descend to incompetency once elevated to the highest office in the land. It seems that, in politics, as in many endeavors in life, many are elevated to the level above their ability to handle the job. In this category, history places men like James Buchanan, the lifelong bachelor who held almost every imaginable office until he reached his goal of the Presidency. But in his four years, the nation, without sufficient leadership, drifted toward Civil War. Others in this category would certainly include Jimmy Carter, whose White House resume contains only one true success, the Middle East agreement between Israel and Egypt. Meanwhile, back at home, he presided over double-digit inflation and the humiliation of the Iran Hostage Crisis.
Although not entirely of his making, Herbert Hoover seems to have been unable to handle the reins of power well. Doing too little and doing it too late helped deepen the Great Depression. Grover Cleveland managed two electoral victories, separated by Benjamin Harrison, giving the nation twelve years of less that stellar leadership. James Madison blundered the country into the War of 1812. It has been claimed that his wife, Dolley, would have made a better Commander-in-Chief. Historians might place others in the incompetent range, but the point is made — we survived and thrived in spite of them.
Scandals have occurred from time to time that were associated with the Oval Office. Three major ones come to mind, beginning with the administration of U. S. Grant. Grant himself might have been honest, but his minions had major ones, like the Credit Mobilier, rail construction kickbacks and manipulation of the gold markets. In the 1920s, Warren Harding’s time in office saw the Teapot Dome Scandal, the sale of public lands’ oil leases. Who of a certain age can forget the 1970s and Watergate? This scandal prompted Richard Nixon to resign as he certainly was guilty of something — right? Yet again the nation lurched forward, and we have managed to put those misdeeds that surrounded the Presidency in the rear view mirror.
And the really salacious rumors and facts about our Presidents have abounded, but America still stands strong. Those began with the talk about Thomas Jefferson and “Dusky Sally,” the slave girl who bore him illegitimate children. Later in that 19th century, the 1884 election people were titillated with the tale of Grover Cleveland’s amorous activities with a Buffalo widow, which caused the memorable line after the election: “Ma, ma! Where’s my pa?” “Gone to the White House, ha ha ha!”
Twentieth century Chief Executives also managed to escape the marriage bed from time to time. Warren Harding used the Oval Office for some of his escapades, and fathered at least one child out-of-wedlock. John Kennedy, we now know, was quite the Lothario, with many conquests, including the mistress of a mafia boss, and some say, even Marilyn Monroe. His successor, Lyndon Johnson, was also rumored to have bedded other women besides Lady Bird. And who can forget the media circus surrounding “Slick Willie”, Bill Clinton, whose numerous affairs were chronicled before and after his ascension to the Presidency. One even resulted in impeachment (and acquittal) in the late 1990’s.
So all of you who look to Doomsday because of what some call a crass, crude Tweeter in Chief should just step back and get real. Unless the unthinkable happens, Donald Trump will be President until at least January 20, 2021. And if the past is any indication, American will survive, and maybe even thrive.