A Column from the Desk of Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,C-Deerpark)
Following the conclusion of the Revolutionary War in 1783, George Washington was ready for a quieter life with his family at Mount Vernon. An unfortunate side effect of the war and the anti-monarchical period is that, under the then-current system of governance, law and order were hard to come by, and the disparate organization of the 13 colonies as separate entities was proving to be untenable for ensuring the future strength of the nation. Despite personal reservations that his involvement might provoke a backlash, the letter he sent to the state governments calling for a stronger union built on more than the Articles of Confederation was well-received, and it went on to lead to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where the famous preamble “We the People” would eventually be written. And while he didn’t seek it out, Washington’s wisdom and guidance led him to the office of the presidency, a defining chapter in American history and the foundation our federal government continues to work off from. The U.S. president has always been an important position, as their work has reverberated throughout history in ways we can see today, from President John Quincy Adams and his work to invest in improved transportation infrastructure to President James A. Garfield’s purge of corruption in the Post Office system to President Ronald Reagan’s work to bring down the Iron Curtain in Europe. No matter how domestic or international their involvement, the office of the presidency is an important one, and it’s why the election of a president is important each time it occurs. Those running for the office must be carefully scrutinized because We the People have the responsibility of appointing an executive to lead not just the country into the future but now the world. Each president who arrives in office is standing on the shoulders of the one that preceded them because, by design, the federal government is slow-moving and requires partnerships from all walks of life to help enrich and defend this nation. We can talk about our favorite presidents all the time (mine is, of course, Abraham Lincoln, father of the Republican party and stalwart defender of the union), but it’s just as important to contextualize the work these men have done for our nation, and the work that many men and women will continue to do after they’re gone. The Executive Office of the President of the United States is an office of public service in the same way that a county clerk or a town mayor is, and it brings with it a responsibility unlike any other. We recognize our presidents on Presidents’ Day because no matter how long they are in office, the work of leading a nation—especially a modern American nation—is no easy task, and those who continue to help America grow and prosper deserve praise. American presidents are some of the greatest minds in our nation’s history, and like Washington, they have wisdom we can learn from in the legacy they leave behind. Assemblyman Brabenec represents the 98th District, which includes the city of Port Jervis, the towns of Deerpark, Greenville, Mount Hope, Wawayanda, Minisink, Warwick, Tuxedo, and portions of the towns of Goshen, Monroe, and Ramapo. For more information, please visit his Official Website at www.yourfavoriteassemblyman.com.
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