Larry D. Lauer

The founding fathers had disagreements on just how powerful a president should be. The American revolution made it clear that a dictatorship was out of the question, but just how much power a president should have remained a bit unclear.

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, Leadership for Turbulent times, analyzes the leadership styles of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson… four presidents who were uniquely suited to powerfully address the big issues of their turbulent times.

What to look for in a powerful leader:

1. A special intellectual strength specifically suited to solving the problems of the times.
2. An ability to find and lead projects intended to unify the nation, states, and institutions. 
3. A longstanding commitment to public service with no intent to use the office to gain personal wealth.
4. A track record of surrounding oneself with a team of proven experts.
5. An ability to admit failures, apologize, and recover from them by changing course.
6. And no history of unresolved scandalous foreign relationships, and personal behavior. 

Here’s the problem…

1. The Electoral College was supposed to insure that competent people would prevent ill-prepared people from getting elected. Obviously, there was no way to anticipate today’s internet and social media. 
2. The balance of power concept was never intended to allow a would-be authoritarian to refuse to cooperate with the legislature’s constitutionally defined role. 
3. Strong leadership is usually required to solve big problems and move institutions and nations forward, but that leadership must be largely situational. “Take charge” leaders are always needed in times of crises. 

The problem in America is not whether or not the constitution supports a strong presidency. The problem is what to do when both the Electoral College and impeachment failed, and the elected president is simply not qualified to lead the nation through today’s urgent crises.