VERSE:
Smith, Dave
As a people we need to do our part to deglamourize your policy views to key executive branch posts is at the and demythologize the American Presidency. President same time...
...wind of the President, now containing nearly 4,000 aides, like loose-jointed ghosts could also be cut back...
...Too many tasks democratic Presidency if he dispels the habits of secrecy and expectations visited upon the Presidency will either that have endlessly surrounded the recent Presidency...
...of representative citizens...
...Administrative and operations staffs I toss someone's whiskey bottle should be in departments or agencies...
...a democracy has to act politically in regard to controver- The Ford agenda is long and exciting...
...As a nation, we must 00900000000000 mature to the recognition that the President has to be political and he ought to be a vigorous partisan leader DAVE SMITH as well...
...stylistic or religious leadership...
...Politics should not stop at the water's edge, nor PARKERSBURG, W. VA...
...One of our greatest challenges is the capacity to with the permanent government, listening to them, findfashion a system of collective leadership, responsive and ing out what incentives shape their performance and responsible to -the people...
...But we rejected monarchy achieve anything...
...To seek the latter is to Sunlight is obviously the best of disinfectants...
...Freedom of information is critical...
...who can put questions to him It is, in the case of Presidential leadership, the art of directly-again in an effort to remove the temptations of making the difficult and desirable possible...
...Ford elevate the Presidency above politics, and those who should meet the press regularly and perhaps for longer yearn to take the politics out of the Presidency or re- more freewheeling periods...
...Perhaps there exists some yearning of the human dences, battles with the federal bureaucrats rarely heart to return to royalty...
...We ought to encourage multiple centers of Ford will also contribute to a strenthened and more shared leadership and public authority...
...A President in isolation and secrecy...
...I wonder if anyone remembers The power to recruit and appoint people who share the day he fell Commonweal: 475...
...As a people we need to do our part to deglamourize your policy views to key executive branch posts is at the and demythologize the American Presidency...
...Politics is not just the art of the possible...
...President same time the most important yet the most underrated Ford seems, initially, to be a willing partner in this cam- power a President possesses...
...As the Nixon example evipaign...
...Manipulation of the Again and again we need to recognize the political news and reliance on the convenience of secrecy have character of the Presidency...
...They could be cut in half and everyone would benefit...
...We, of course, want pur- denigrated not only the Presidency but the entire demoposive leadership, we want a president who can set our cratic process...
...Ford a promise spreads, a shatter should also see to it that the appointment prerogative is of stars no one notices better used than it has been under recent Presidents...
...release little rivulets Ford would do well too to pare back the public rela- of greasy smoke tions staffs at the White House...
...The Executive Office longjohns hang in the...
...Mindless bipartisanship has been one of the worst obstacles to open politics and Along the river tin roofs creative debate in the past two decades -and perhaps the color of blood too the chief cause of the imperial Presidency...
...In this way, the cabinet will be better used and less undermined...
...The new Presisial issues if we are to have any semblance of government dent has won our sympathy, support and prayers, and by the consent of the governed...
...many staffs and councils there I can see current could easily be placed beneath the appropriate cabinet making herringbones officers...
...at the Pentagon's doorstep...
...The President should also compromise, and work very directly in the thicket of the experiment with televised meetings of occasional forums political arena...
...The Executive Office should only contain salient against blue slate rocks central review staffs such as the Council of Economic my great-great grandfather Advisers, Office of Management and Budget and Nationwas said to love this place al Security Council...
...At best, secrecy insulates, and makes the sights high and liberate our best talents for societal tasks President remote...
...Ford and his new lieutenants will 200 years ago and there is no reason to revert to it accomplish far more if they learn to work cooperatively today...
...that is, he must negotiate he will need them all...
...In recent years we have be- strengthening the hand of those already there who share come too executive-dependent, too dependent on the the policy views of the White House...
...would meet occasionally with a score of Congressmen in The Presidency is, and should be, a highly political office public, before television, to answer tough questions and -that is, a President must listen, negotiate, bargain, review his own performance...
...It would help also if he move the President from politics do us a great injustice...
...And as we now know, it also helps -but we should not look to the Presidency for social, Presidents conceal mistakes and scandals...
...crush it or make it imperial...
...and mediate between groups, compromise differences, and find acceptable alternatives...
Vol. 100 • September 1974 • No. 20
